SK Hynix's Major U.S. Stock Offering Capitalizes on AI Surge

WHO:

Fortune - SK Hynix, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-bandwidth memory, SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won, U.S. chipmaker Micron Technology, Intel, Lee Seok-hee (former CEO of SK Hynix), South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

WHAT:

Fortune - SK Hynix's listing raised $26.5 billion, making it the second-largest share sale in U.S. history, trailing SpaceX’s $86 billion IPO last month.

Yahoo Finance - SK Hynix is preparing for a blockbuster listing on the U.S. stock market to generate a whopping $29 billion in capital through an American Depository Receipt (ADR) listing on the NASDAQ exchange.

Fortune - SK Hynix's shares surged more than 630% over the past 12 months, pushing its market value past $1 trillion, making it only the second Korean company to reach that milestone after Samsung Electronics.

Techmeme - SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung stated that the memory industry is heading for its worst-ever supply shortage in 2027 and that demand will outstrip supply beyond 2030.

Fortune - SK Hynix raised $26.5 billion in the largest U.S. listing ever by a foreign company and the second-largest share sale in U.S. history.

Fortune - Shares of SK Hynix rose 12.8% on their first day of trading.

Fortune - SK Hynix reported 97.1 trillion won ($64.1 billion) in revenue in 2025 and net income of 42.9 trillion won ($28.3 billion), with a net profit margin of 44%.

Techmeme - SK Hynix's U.S. stock market listing is a significant event in the memory chip industry.

Fortune - SK Hynix controls roughly 60% of the global high-bandwidth memory market by revenue.

Fortune - SK Hynix and Samsung jointly announced plans to invest 800 trillion won ($517 billion) with their suppliers to build two new semiconductor fabrication complexes.

WHERE:

Fortune - SK Hynix debuted on the Nasdaq.

Fortune - The company was founded in South Korea and is now part of the SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate.

WHEN:

Fortune - The listing occurred after raising $26.5 billion, making it the largest U.S. listing by a foreign company.

Fortune - The first payout of employee bonuses averaged around 140 million won ($93,000) per employee occurred in late 2025.

Fortune - The announcement of the investment in new semiconductor fabrication complexes was made in July 2026.

WHY:

Fortune - Analysts at HSBC estimate that the listing of SK Hynix American depository receipts could lift the chipmaker’s valuation by as much as 20%.

Fortune - The U.S. listing aims to attract global investors who cannot easily access the Korean market.

Fortune - The AI boom has increased demand for specialized memory chips, leading to high prices amid a major shortage.

HOW:

Techmeme - SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung stated that the memory industry is heading for its worst-ever supply shortage in 2027 and that demand will outstrip supply beyond 2030.

Fortune - The South Korean government approved the creation of single-stock leveraged ETFs to keep retail investors from chasing bets offshore.

Fortune - SK Hynix plans to double production capacity within five years to meet customer demand.

Fortune - The company co-developed the world’s first high-bandwidth memory chip with U.S. chip designer AMD in 2013, leading to its current market position.

(UPDATED July 11, 2026 19:20 UTC)

SK Hynix's recent listing has raised an impressive $26.5 billion, making it the second-largest share sale in U.S. history, just behind SpaceX’s $86 billion IPO last month. The company is also gearing up for a major American Depository Receipt listing on the NASDAQ, aiming to generate a staggering $29 billion in capital. According to analysts at HSBC, this listing could potentially boost SK Hynix's valuation by as much as 20%, as the CEO warns of an impending supply shortage in the memory industry starting in 2027.

(UPDATED July 11, 2026 17:17 UTC)

SK Hynix's shares have skyrocketed more than 630% over the past year, pushing its market value past $1 trillion and making it only the second Korean company to achieve this milestone after Samsung Electronics. CEO Kwak Noh-jung has warned that the memory industry is facing its worst-ever supply shortage in 2027, with demand expected to outstrip supply well into 2030. In a move to support retail investors, the South Korean government has approved the creation of single-stock leveraged ETFs, which could potentially boost SK Hynix's valuation by as much as 20% according to analysts at HSBC.

(UPDATED July 11, 2026 16:17 UTC)

SK Hynix has made headlines by raising $26.5 billion in the largest U.S. listing ever by a foreign company, marking a significant milestone in the memory chip industry. On its first day of trading on the Nasdaq, shares of SK Hynix surged by 12.8%, and the company, which controls about 60% of the global high-bandwidth memory market, reported impressive revenue and net income figures for 2025. In a move to further strengthen its position, SK Hynix and Samsung announced plans in July 2026 to invest 800 trillion won, or $517 billion, with suppliers to build two new semiconductor fabrication complexes.