SEOUL, March 24 – Memory chip manufacturer SK Hynix from South Korea is exploring the possibility of securing between 10 trillion and 15 trillion won (approximately $10.03 billion) through a potential stock market debut in the United States, according to a report from the Korea Economic Daily. The funding would support expanded manufacturing capabilities for cutting-edge memory semiconductors.
The newspaper indicated that pursuing a US stock exchange listing would provide the Nvidia chip supplier with broader access to investment capital and could help close valuation differences when compared to international competitors like Micron.
According to the Korea Economic Daily’s reporting, which cited anonymous industry insiders, SK Hynix is planning to create new stock shares to facilitate American depositary receipt (ADR) trading, with the generated capital expected to fund artificial intelligence infrastructure development and memory product manufacturing expansion.
When contacted by Reuters, the semiconductor company confirmed it is “reviewing various measures to enhance shareholder value, including an ADR listing,” while emphasizing that no final decisions have been reached.
SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won stated last week that SK Hynix is examining a possible US ADR listing strategy to expand its international investor participation beyond Korean markets and boost visibility among worldwide investment communities.
Earlier this year in January, SK Hynix announced plans to eliminate approximately 12.2 trillion won in treasury stock, representing 2.1% of outstanding shares, as part of efforts to increase shareholder returns.
Market research from Counterpoint shows SK Hynix leads the high-bandwidth memory semiconductor sector used in AI applications with a commanding 57% market position. The company also maintains a 32% portion of the worldwide DRAM market for AI processors and consumer electronics, positioning it as the second-largest competitor behind domestic rival Samsung Electronics.
Following the news, SK Hynix stock prices climbed 5.7% at market close, outperforming the benchmark KOSPI index which gained 2.7%.
