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A Trillion-Dollar Frenzy for Memory Sellers, Halved Profits for Memory Buyers

Summary: A stark divide has emerged in the tech industry. While memory chipmaker Micron's stock soared 19% in a single day, pushing its market cap over $1 trillion, smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi reported a 43% plunge in adjusted net profit. The core driver is a severe supply crunch in memory chips, particularly for AI applications. Wall Street analysts, led by UBS and its unprecedented 204% target price hike for Micron, argue that long-term agreements (LTAs) from AI cloud giants are fundamentally ending the sector's notorious boom-and-bust cycles, justifying a re-rating from cyclical to infrastructure-like valuations. However, the "storage" market is now fragmented into three tiers. The first, AI-grade memory like HBM and server DDR5, faces extreme shortages and soaring prices driven by massive cloud capex. The second, mobile memory for smartphones, is also seeing sharp price hikes as manufacturers like Xiaomi are forced to pay more for remaining capacity, severely squeezing their margins. The third, PC retail channels, shows price declines due to existing inventory. The article questions the sustainability of the "supercycle" narrative. It highlights that Micron's revenue surge is driven almost entirely by price increases, not shipment volumes, making it vulnerable to a potential demand slowdown. While LTAs may dampen volatility, history suggests they are often tested during downturns. The current peak earnings, used to justify high valuations, represent a classic cyclical top. The piece concludes with a note of caution: when the entire Street chants "this time is different," it's wise to remember past bubbles, even as it acknowledges AI demand may indeed be structural.

marsbit05/27 11:57