Q1 DRAM Sales Increase by 5%... Samsung and SK Market Share Decline

Samsung Electronics 43.9%, SK Hynix 31.1%

Global DRAM market sales in the first quarter increased compared to the previous quarter. During this period, the market share of domestic companies such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix slightly declined, while US-based Micron saw an increase.

Market research firm TrendForce announced on the 13th that global DRAM market sales in the first quarter reached $18.347 billion, up 5.1% from the previous quarter. This was due to the rise in fixed transaction prices (contract prices) of major DRAM products, with the price increase being larger than in the previous quarter.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which hold the first and second positions in the DRAM market, increased their sales in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter. However, their market shares declined to 43.9% and 31.1%, respectively. This was the result of focusing on raising the average selling price (ASP) by about 20% rather than increasing shipment volume.

Micron, ranked third, recorded a 17.8% surge in sales in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter, with its market share rising to 21.5%. TrendForce explained, "Micron showed strong performance in server DRAM shipments, supported by an aggressive pricing strategy and orders from major US customers."

In the second quarter, shipments from major DRAM suppliers are expected to increase seasonally. Samsung Electronics is projected to see shipment growth from single-digit low to mid-percentage, while SK Hynix is expected to increase shipments to the mid-single-digit range. TrendForce forecasted that "fixed transaction prices for DRAM will rise by 13-18%."