#memory-chips

#memory-chips

Affordability is the primary driver in the secondhand segment, the analyst says, with around 40 percent of sales driven by budget-conscious users shopping in the €200 to €300 price band for laptops. The €300 to €400 tier is also expanding - representing 23 percent of the refurbished market, up from 15 percent a year earlier - indicating some buyers are prepared to spend a bit more for improved specifications.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will cost exactly the same as their predecessors, according to a new research note from GF Securities analyst Jeff Pu, a constant purveyor of Apple-related supply chain information. That is obviously very good news, if it pans out, since the pricing stability of smartphones is anything but guaranteed this year given how memory production seems to mostly be going to AI data centers.

Micron Technology ( NASDAQ:MU) could be the biggest beneficiary of the next bull market. It ended the year with a strong financial profile and growing demand for its solutions. Exchanging hands for $365, the stock has gained 233% in the past year. The demand for its NAND, DRAM, and high-bandwidth memory has outpaced supply and expanded margins. In the recently announced results, the company reported $13.64 billion in revenue, beating estimates. It was an impressive 57% year-over-year jump, driven by the growing demand for its specialized memory chips.

In 2025, the three biggest stock gainers in the S&P 500 were Micron ( NASDAQ:MU) with around 250%, Western Digital ( NASDAQ:WDC) with almost 300%, and Sandisk ( NASDAQ:SNDK) with nearly 600%. To be more precise, SNDK stock gained approximately 580% last year, which is astounding no matter how you slice it. And in case you didn't see the connection, the three top performers are all involved in the market for memory-storage hardware.

Dell Technologies Inc., HP Inc. and other tech companies are warning of potential memory-chip supply shortages in the coming year due to soaring demand from the buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Consumer electronics makers including Xiaomi Corp. have sounded the alarm about potential price increases, while others including Lenovo Group Ltd. have begun stockpiling memory chips in anticipation of rising costs. Counterpoint Research this month forecast a 50% price rise for memory modules through the second quarter of next year.

The ongoing AI boom is signaling good fortune for Samsung, which currently holds the title of leading chipmaker. Samsung has released its Q3 earnings guidance and is anticipating its largest quarterly profit since 2022. Revenues are expected to rise to KRW 86 trillion ($60 billion) while profits are now estimated at KRW 12.1 trillion ($8.5 billion). These figures represent 32% and 8.7% bumps compared to last year.