[Market Focus] Investment Warning Lifted, Earnings Outlook Raised... SK Hynix Surges Over 5%

On December 29, SK Hynix saw its stock surge by over 5% in early trading. The lifting of its investment warning designation and upward revisions to next year's earnings outlook have fueled strong buying interest.

As of 9:15 a.m. that day, SK Hynix shares were trading at 630,000 won, up 5.18% from the previous day. Investor sentiment appears to have been boosted by the Korea Exchange's announcement that it would lift the investment warning designation.

Previously, SK Hynix had been designated as an investment warning stock on December 11, after its share price more than doubled over the past year. In response, on December 26, the Korea Exchange announced that it would revise market surveillance regulations related to investment warning designations, excluding the top 100 companies by market capitalization from the designation list, and that this change would take effect starting that day.

Additionally, upward revisions to target prices by securities firms have acted as a positive catalyst. On the same day, NH Investment & Securities raised its target price for SK Hynix from 860,000 won to 880,000 won. Ryu Youngho, a researcher at NH Investment & Securities, explained, "Despite an overwhelming return on equity expected at 55.4% in 2026, SK Hynix remains relatively undervalued. Upward revisions to 2026 earnings are continuing, driven by a faster-than-expected increase in memory prices."

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