Counterpoint: Q3 DRAM revenue nears $200bn, up 369%, as AI makes memory scarce
Samsung kept No. 1 with 38%, SK hynix rose to 29% and Micron held 21%; bit shipments grew only about 4%, so prices did the work.
Why it matters
Counterpoint calls this a pricing super-cycle rather than a volume cycle: bit shipments rose only about 4% in the quarter, yet DRAM revenue reached nearly $200 billion, close to five times a year earlier, with average prices at $1.9 per gigabit. Samsung led with 38%, SK hynix rose to 29% after revenue grew over 40% quarter on quarter, and CXMT slipped to 9%. The firm expects prices to stay strong next year because big new fabs will not produce until 2028. It comes on a day when Korean and Japanese chip stocks fell sharply.
Key facts
- Q3 2026 DRAM revenue near $200bn, up 369% year on year
- Samsung 38%, SK hynix 29%, Micron 21%, CXMT 9%
- Bit shipments up only about 4% quarter on quarter
- Average price $1.9 per gigabit
- New large fabs not producing until 2028