On February 19, 2026, the South Korean stock market kicked off trading at an unprecedented high, with Samsung Electronics' stock price rocketing by more than 4%. Sources indicate that Samsung is presently in the midst of negotiations with its clients regarding the pricing strategy for its next-generation high-bandwidth memory chip, HBM4. The quoted price for this cutting-edge chip stands at roughly $700, marking a staggering nearly 250% surge compared to its predecessor.
Earlier, SK Hynix had clinched an HBM4 supply deal with Nvidia, setting the unit price at approximately $560. In stark contrast, Samsung's quoted price is a hefty 25% higher. Samsung unveiled engineering samples of HBM4 in August 2025 and has plans to initiate mass production in the second quarter, contingent upon successful certification.
The capital market has responded enthusiastically to these developments. Institutions are now forecasting that Samsung's operating profit for 2026 could surpass KRW 250 trillion.