Latest news with #HBM
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Intel and SoftBank collaborate on power-efficient HBM substitute for AI data centers, says report
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. American chip giant Intel has partnered with Japanese tech and investment powerhouse SoftBank to build a stacked DRAM substitute for HBM. According to Nikkei Asia, the two industry behemoths set up Saimemory to build a prototype based on Intel technology and patents from Japanese academia, including the University of Tokyo. The company is targeting a completed prototype and mass production viability assessment by 2027, with an end goal of commercialization before the end of the decade. Most AI processors use HBM or high-bandwidth memory chips, which are perfect for temporarily storing the massive amount of data that AI GPUs process. However, these ICs are complex to manufacture and are relatively expensive. Aside from that, they get hot pretty quickly and require relatively more power. The partnership aims to solve this by stacking DRAM chips and then figuring out a way to wire them more efficiently. By doing so, the stacked DRAM chip's power consumption is halved versus a similar HBM chip. If successful, SoftBank says that it wants to have priority for the supply of these chips. At the moment, only three companies produce the latest HBM chips: Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron. The insatiable demand for AI chips means that HBM supply can be hard to get by, so Saimemory aims to corner the market with its substitute, at least for Japanese data centers. This will also be the first time that Japan aims to become a major memory chip supplier in over 20 years. Japanese firms used to dominate the market in the 1980s, when they manufactured about 70% of the global supply. However, the rise of South Korean and Taiwanese competitors has pushed many of its memory chip manufacturers out of the market. This won't be the first time that a semiconductor company is experimenting with 3D stacked DRAM. Samsung has already announced plans for 3D and stacked DRAM as early as last year, while another company, NEO Semiconductor, is also working on 3D X-DRAM. However, these are focused on enlarging the capacity of each chip, with memory modules targeted to have 512GB capacity. On the other hand, Saimemory is aiming for reduced power consumption — something that data centers sorely need, especially as AI power consumption is increasing annually. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
AI Boom Pushes Micron Stock (MU) Towards $145 Price Target
When I first invested in Micron (MU) earlier this year, my expectations were optimistic. Although the stock has appreciated to around $95, representing approximately a 30% return since my purchase, I believe this is only the beginning of its potential growth. Future gains are likely to be driven by the expanding opportunities in artificial intelligence. Consequently, I have set a price target of $145 over the next 12 months. Confident Investing Starts Here: While this may appear ambitious, Micron's role as a key supplier of critical memory technologies in the AI sector positions it as a stable, cyclical investment. Micron's business has historically exhibited cyclical characteristics; however, unlike previous cycles, the company has now firmly established itself at the forefront of the AI revolution. With strategic partnerships involving leading industry players such as Nvidia (NVDA) and a strong financial foundation, Micron offers a broader potential return horizon than in the past. Micron's HBM3E Is a Catalyst for AI One of the key reasons I am optimistic about Micron is the rapid growth of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). AI systems that power platforms like ChatGPT and NVIDIA's latest GPUs require high-performance memory capable of transferring large volumes of data at exceptional speeds. Micron's latest product, HBM3E, meets these demanding requirements and is already being integrated into NVIDIA's flagship AI systems. The advanced speed and performance of HBM3E position Micron at the center of a fast-growing market segment focused on running complex AI models and applications. In fact, Micron has already fully booked its 2025 production capacity for these HBM chips, reflecting robust demand. This is not merely a short-term surge. The HBM market is projected to grow significantly and become a substantial part of overall DRAM sales. Industry analysts estimate HBM will represent approximately 15% of DRAM sales in 2024—about double its share from 2023. Micron anticipates the HBM market will reach over $35 billion by 2025, surpassing earlier projections. This sustained, structural growth driven by AI gives me confidence that Micron is positioned for a long-term growth trajectory rather than a temporary upswing. Strong Financial Performance Underpins the Bull Case Micron's recent financial performance strongly supports my bullish outlook. In the second quarter of Fiscal 2025, the company reported revenues of $8.05 billion, marking a robust 38% year-over-year increase. Earnings per share reached $1.41, reflecting a significant recovery from the previous year and demonstrating solid operational progress and growing demand across business segments. These results exceeded market expectations, indicating strong underlying momentum. Looking ahead, Micron's financial outlook remains promising. Analyst projections anticipate earnings per share to rise substantially from approximately $7 in Fiscal 2025 to around $11 in Fiscal 2026. Even under a more conservative scenario of $8.00 per share in Fiscal 2026, Micron's current valuation at roughly 13 times forward earnings remains attractive given its growth trajectory. Applying a conservative multiple of 18 times forward earnings supports my target price of $145, suggesting meaningful upside potential from current levels. Don't Take Your Eye Off the Ball As with any investment, Micron faces several risks. The memory market is highly competitive, with major players like Samsung (SSNLF) and SK Hynix aggressively pursuing the AI memory segment. SK Hynix, notably NVIDIA's current HBM memory supplier, sets a high standard that Micron is working hard to match. Monitoring the pace of technological advancements remains critical. Geopolitical factors also present significant challenges. Past tensions between the United States and China have resulted in restrictions on Micron's chip sales to China. Any further deterioration in relations or expanded limitations on Micron's access to the Chinese market could negatively impact the company's revenue and profitability, given China's market importance. Lastly, while the current favorable environment for semiconductor memory driven by AI demand is strong, it is likely to eventually give way to oversupply or softened demand, which could pressure Micron's margins and revenues. That said, due to the structural growth driven by AI, I expect the next downturn to be less severe than in previous cycles. What is the Price Target for MU Stock in 2025? On Wall Street, Micron has a consensus Strong Buy rating based on 20 Buys, three Holds, and zero Sells. The average MU stock price target is $124.71, indicating almost 30% upside potential over the next 12 months. Micron (MU) Remains a Cheap Buy In summary, although my Micron investment has already gained around 30%, I remain very optimistic. Micron's strong strategic position in the AI-driven memory market, combined with its financial turnaround and key partnerships with NVIDIA, suggests significant growth potential ahead. The market has yet to fully reflect the earnings growth that AI is likely to generate for Micron in the coming years. While competition and geopolitical risks are real, Micron remains attractively valued. I believe that investors entering at today's price of about $95 have a solid opportunity to achieve strong returns over the next 12 months, despite the usual market fluctuations.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
China tech smuggling: Is China trying to gain access by smuggling tech secrets from other countries? South Korea arrests man at Incheon Airport for attempting to smuggle SK Hynix trade secrets
FAQs ADVERTISEMENT A man tried to share SK hynix's secret technology with China. He was caught at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. He was about to board a flight to China when he got arrested. The man is Mr Kim, a former subcontractor, not a regular employee of SK hynix , as per had been watching Kim for months. As mentioned in the Yahoo report, the Industrial Technology Security Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency caught Kim and charged him with violating South Korea's trade secrets and unfair competition laws. Early this year Kim resigned from SK hynix and stole important data according to the report by say Kim kept printed papers and photos of confidential company info. He even removed the SK hynix name and 'confidential' labels from the documents. As mentioned in the Yahoo report, Kim had about 11,000 photos from his time at SK hynix, which he used in job applications to Chinese firms, including Huawei's chip unit, stolen information was mainly about HBM technology. More specifically, it included backend packaging methods and hybrid bonding techniques, according to the reports. HBM is important for making AI accelerators, so Chinese companies really want this tech. Kim's case might be just one of many, there have been other tech leaks to China, like from Korea already has strong laws against stealing semiconductor IP. People can be fined up to US$71,000 and sent to jail for up to 10 years. If the theft affects a strategic industry, punishments can be even more serious. Authorities in South Korea are now trying to make these laws even stronger, according to reports.Q1. Who was the man caught with SK hynix secrets?He was a former subcontractor named Mr Kim.Q2. What kind of tech did Kim try to steal?He tried to steal HBM chip technology used in AI.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Suspected SK hynix HBM tech leaker arrested boarding flight to China
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A man suspected of attempting to smuggle SK hynix tech secrets to China was apprehended at South Korea's Incheon International Airport earlier this month. DigiTimes reports that the former employee subcontractor aimed to leak the firm's proprietary high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging technology to entities based in China. According to the source report, authorities had been aware of the activities of suspect 'Mr Kim' for several months. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Industrial Technology Security Investigation Unit made the dramatic airport arrest, moments before flight boarding, and charged Kim with violating South Korea's trade secret and unfair competition laws. Its investigators say that Kim stole critical data about HBM at around the same time he resigned as a subcontractor at SK hynix, at the beginning of the year. Korean prosecutors allege that Kim kept printed and photographed records from his time at SK hynix. He went as far as removing SK hynix branding and 'confidential' markings from any material he captured, it is claimed. In total, reports say Kim was caught with a haul of 11,000 images from his time at SK hynix. Boldly, Kim is even said to have cited some of these stolen documents in job applications to Chinese firms, including Huawei's HiSilicon. Above, we mentioned that the stolen proprietary data was mostly about HBM technology. More precisely, the almost-leaked SK hynix secrets were focused on the backend packaging stage of HBM, and hybrid bonding techniques, says reports. HBM is widely used in AI accelerators, so it is understandable that Chinese rivals would covet SK hynix's work on fine-tuning the production of this kind of computer memory. The case of Mr Kim is possibly only the tip of the iceberg, and there have been several other high-profile tech leaks to China involving rival companies like Samsung, for example. South Korea already has reasonably strong deterrents to stem semiconductor IP theft. Individuals can face fines up to the equivalent of US$71,000 and up to 10 years behind bars. Harsher penalties and sentences can be imposed where strategic sectors fall victim to IP theft. Nevertheless, Korean authorities are making efforts to bolster legal deterrents, say reports.
Korea Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Nvidia CEO Huang makes surprise visit to SK hynix booth at Computex 2025
Nvidia Corp. chief executive officer (CEO) Jensen Huang on Tuesday made a surprise visit to the booth of South Korea's SK hynix Inc. at Computex 2025, a major information technology trade show held in Taiwan. Huang was personally guided through SK hynix's booth by Kim Joo-seon, head of the South Korean chipmaker's artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure division, at the trade show held in the Taiwanese capital. During the visit, Huang examined a sample of the company's sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM), the HBM4, and remarked, "So beautiful." SK hynix is a key supplier of high-performance memory to Nvidia, currently providing HBM3E chips used in Nvidia's AI processors. The company has also supplied Nvidia with samples of its upcoming HBM4, which is set to enter mass production in the second half of this year. Earlier in the day, Huang appeared on stage alongside MediaTek CEO Rick Tsai and Foxconn CEO Young Liu for keynote speeches at Computex. Following the session, he visited booths of major partners across the venue as part of efforts to deepen collaboration within Taiwan's tech ecosystem. (Yonhap)
