Gotrade News - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Lisa Su met Samsung Electronics chip head Jun Young-hyun in Seoul on Wednesday to deepen high-bandwidth memory ties, as a global memory shortage persists.
Samsung reports preliminary third-quarter results on Thursday, with analysts expecting operating profit of about 106 trillion won.
The talks land in the same week that memory makers are cashing in on tight supply. Micron Technology (MU) has already said conditions will get "much tighter" through 2028, a message that followed its record fiscal fourth quarter, as reported by The Korea Herald.
AMD and MU Market Data
Ticker | Close | Daily change | Market cap | 52-week range |
|---|
AMD | $649.42 | +2.80% | $1.06 trillion | $188.22 to $658.52 |
MU | $1,045.56 | -1.73% | $1.18 trillion | $179.61 to $1,255.00 |
Regular-session close on October 6, 2026, New York time. Prices and changes: Yahoo Finance, cross-checked against Nasdaq's official close. Market cap: Nasdaq, as of October 7, 2026.
Why Is AMD CEO Lisa Su Meeting Samsung?
Su is meeting Samsung to secure and expand AI memory cooperation, centered on high-bandwidth memory (HBM). According to SBS, Su met Jun, Vice Chairman and Head of Samsung's Device Solutions Division, at Samsung's Seocho building in Seoul, and also held her first South Korea meeting with SK Hynix President and CEO Kwak Noh-jung.
Per SBS, Samsung currently supplies HBM3E and HBM4 for AMD's AI accelerators and has been designated the primary HBM4 supplier for AMD's next-generation Instinct MI455X accelerator.
SBS added that a potential foundry partnership could also be on the table. The visit follows Su's March 2026 trip, when she toured Samsung's Pyeongtaek facility and met Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD): Locking In HBM4 Supply
For AMD, memory access is a direct input into its AI accelerator roadmap. SBS reported that the discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in AI semiconductors, particularly HBM, with Su also attending an AI semiconductor roundtable in Seoul during the trip.
The shortage is not limited to AI chips. According to The Korea Herald, tight supply now extends beyond HBM into conventional server, PC and mobile memory, contributing to broader price increases across the sector.
Micron Technology (MU): Shortage Seen Lasting Through 2028
Micron's latest results give the clearest read on the crunch. As reported by The Korea Herald, Micron posted record fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $54.23 billion, nearly five times the $11.32 billion a year earlier, and said more than 75% of its planned fiscal 2027 output is already committed to customers.
Per the same report, Micron now has 26 strategic customer agreements, up from 16 in June, with customer financial commitments of $32 billion.
CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said memory and storage conditions would be "much tighter" in fiscal 2027 and 2028 than in 2026.
What Does Wall Street Expect From Samsung's Q3 Results?
Analysts expect a record quarter. According to Investing.com, the LSEG SmartEstimate from 21 analysts puts Samsung's third-quarter operating profit at 106.1 trillion won ($79.1 billion), roughly nine times the 12.17 trillion won reported a year earlier and a fourth consecutive record.
The Korea Herald cited a higher consensus of 110.3 trillion won, which would be Samsung's first quarterly operating profit above 100 trillion won.
Samsung Q3 2026 estimate (preliminary results due Oct 8) | Figure | Source |
|---|
Operating profit, LSEG SmartEstimate | 106.1 trillion won | Investing.com |
Operating profit, consensus | 110.3 trillion won | The Korea Herald |
Revenue, consensus | 204.8 trillion won | Investing.com |
Operating profit, Q3 2025 | 12.17 trillion won | Investing.com |
Investing.com also noted that Samsung shares had fallen for two straight sessions ahead of the release and that operating profit estimates have been cut 7.7% since late August.
The preliminary release will carry only headline sales and operating profit, with segment detail due with the full report on October 29.
Are Memory Prices Peaking?
That is the main question beyond the headline numbers. Per Investing.com, the pace of chip price increases slowed in the third quarter, and Bernstein expects conventional memory prices to rise by mid-teens to 20% quarter over quarter in Q3, with single-digit increases projected for Q4.
Investing.com added that analysts see the durability of AI capital spending as the largest risk, while long-term supply agreements guarantee volume but cap price gains.
According to The Korea Herald, Samsung has signed such agreements with five major data-center customers, and SK Hynix has completed negotiations with about 10 customers on contracts generally running around five years.
This article is for education and information only and is not investment advice. Investment decisions are yours to make after your own research.
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