SK hynix posts record third-quarter revenue of 104.6155 trillion won

Key Facts

SK hynix reported record revenue of 104.6155 trillion won in the third quarter of 2026, up 32% from the previous quarter and 328% from the same period last year. Operating profit was 83.3338 trillion won, with a record operating margin of 80%, while net profit was 39.7756 trillion won. The company attributed the results to higher prices for key memory products and growing demand for AI memory. The announcement coincided with UBS’s quarterly results, which showed net profit attributable to shareholders of $2.690 billion. The results showed mixed growth at the chipmaker and the bank, with Swiss capital rules remaining among the issues UBS investors are monitoring.

In SK hynix’s accounts, quarterly revenue rose to 104.6155 trillion won from 79.3187 trillion won in the second quarter, according to the results table published by the company. Net profit, however, moved in the opposite direction quarter on quarter, falling 58% from the previous quarter despite rising 216% compared with the third quarter of 2025. Operating profit was 83.3338 trillion won, while the operating margin was 80%, a record level, according to the company. The figures highlight the gap between strong sales and operating profit on one hand and the quarterly decline in net profit on the other. The company linked its performance to higher prices for key memory products and broader demand for products used in AI applications.

SK hynix said sales of DDR5 servers expanded and shipments of HBM4 began “on a large scale,” amid growing demand for AI memory. The company expects HBM4 to surpass HBM3E in shipment volume and revenue in the fourth quarter and become its main product. It also said it had secured more than 50% of its production capacity for 2027 and 2028 through long-term agreements. These contracts provide advance visibility into a large share of production over the next two years, while the company expects HBM4’s rise to the top position to be among the developments of the fourth quarter. SK hynix also announced shareholder returns of about 100 trillion won during fiscal 2026, including cash dividends of at least 30 trillion won and share buybacks and cancellations of at least 60 trillion won.

In South Korea, gross domestic product grew 1.0% quarter on quarter and 3.4% year on year in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary estimates from the central bank cited by Reuters. Market data showed SK hynix shares closed at $145.36 on October 27, before rising 11.4% in early trading on October 28 to their highest level in two weeks. The KOSPI also rose 6.6% at the close to 6,012.44 points that day. The trading moves reflect investors’ reception of the company’s results and signals on demand for advanced memory. The economic growth figures place industrial performance in the broader context of the South Korean economy during the same quarter.

UBS reported net profit attributable to shareholders of $2.690 billion and pre-tax profit of $3.587 billion in the third quarter. Revenue was $13.350 billion, up 5% year on year, but net profit was affected by higher tax expenses, which rose to $887 million from $341 million in the same period a year earlier. The group’s invested assets reached $7.3 trillion, while global wealth management attracted $55.1 billion in net new assets during the quarter. On capital, the CET1 ratio was about 14.7%, and the bank said it expected to end 2026 at or very close to its target level of about 14%. The indicators show growth in revenue and asset inflows alongside a higher tax burden and a capital level above the stated year-end target.

Chief Executive Sergio Ermotti said UBS would continue to engage with Swiss authorities on future regulatory requirements, expressing hope that parliament would reach a solution that supports financial stability “without imposing unjustified costs on UBS shareholders, clients and employees.” The position keeps the regulatory debate open without the bank describing it as a warning of an inevitable decision to tighten requirements. UBS also bought back $1.8 billion of shares during the third quarter. It said it intended to complete a $3 billion buyback program by the release of fourth-quarter results. On business activity, the bank pointed to an expected seasonal decline in transaction volumes in the fourth quarter, while anticipating higher net interest income in some of its businesses.

UBS shares closed at $46.79 on October 27, according to EL7 data. Fourth-quarter results are the next milestone the bank identified for completing its buyback program, while SK hynix expects HBM4 to move ahead of HBM3E in shipments and revenue in the same quarter. The two companies are therefore headed toward different developments: UBS’s execution of its shareholder-return plan, and SK hynix’s product mix and memory demand. The next quarterly results will also provide an indication of the bank’s revenue trajectory and transaction activity at year-end. No other specific dates for subsequent data or results releases were included in the available facts.