Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are set to join other global memory chip manufacturers in raising NAND flash prices next month. As supply cuts take effect and demand gradually recovers, the NAND market, which has been in a prolonged downturn, could see a rebound.
According to Taiwan’s DigiTimes, Samsung and SK Hynix plan to increase NAND prices by approximately 10% in April, aligning with similar moves by Western Digital’s spinoff, SanDisk. Market insiders suggest that Samsung has already taken steps to prepare for this price hike by significantly reducing its NAND supply. Reports indicate that Samsung’s March NAND shipments amounted to only 20–25% of original orders, with the company citing production constraints—though industry sources believe this is a strategic move to support price increases.
The NAND price hikes appear inevitable as several major manufacturers have already announced similar measures. SanDisk previously stated that it would raise prices by over 10% starting April 1 and hinted at further increases in Q2. Following this, Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) and China’s YMTC (Yangtze Memory Technologies) also announced upcoming price adjustments.
The NAND market’s gradual recovery is being driven by supply cuts from major manufacturers. Since last year, the world’s top five NAND producers—including Samsung and SK Hynix—have actively reduced production. SK Hynix plans to cut Q1 NAND shipments by nearly 20% compared to the previous quarter, while Samsung is expected to reduce supply by about 10%. Micron officially announced a mid-teen percentage reduction in NAND wafer input, while SanDisk, prior to its spin-off from Western Digital, notified customers of a 15% production cut. Japan’s Kioxia has also been curbing production since December.
Reflecting these supply adjustments, NAND spot prices are already rebounding. According to DRAMeXchange, the average selling price (ASP) of 128Gb NAND dropped from $4.90 in September to $2.08 in December, marking four consecutive months of decline. However, as of February 24, NAND prices increased 4.57% month-over-month to $2.18. Another market research firm, TrendForce, predicts that while NAND prices may remain weak in the first half of 2025, they will begin a sustained upward trend in the second half of the year.
Samsung and SK Hynix currently lead the global NAND market, with 33.9% and 20.5% market shares, respectively, as of Q4 2024. They are followed by Kioxia (16.1%), Micron (13.8%), and SanDisk (11.4%).
