Story perspectives

SK Hynix Considers KRW16 Trillion Special Dividend

By Drooid · Oct 26, 2026, 2:32 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

SK Hynix is considering a special dividend of about 16 trillion won (US$12 billion).
The payout would draw on the roughly 20 trillion won gain from selling its Kioxia stake.
The company plans to buy back 40 trillion won of shares and allocate over 50 percent of 2025-2027 cash flow to returns.
SK Hynix paused the U.S. listing of its Solidigm chip unit, citing market volatility.

History

Historical Context

In 1999, Intel announced a $10 billion special dividend and a $20 billion share-repurchase plan, boosting shareholder returns. The program, approved by CEO Craig Barrett and the board, allocated 15 percent of Intel’s $30 billion cash flow, returning $30 billion to investors. Similarly, SK Hynix now eyes a 16 trillion-won special dividend, a 40 trillion-won buyback, and earmarks over 50 percent of 2025-2027 cash flow for returns after selling its Kioxia stake. These aggressive capital-return strategies signal South Korea’s chip giants adopting the U.S. tech-sector model, likely intensifying market volatility and influencing global semiconductor financing.

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Story summary

SK Hynix is considering a special dividend of about 16 trillion won (US$12 billion).
The payout would draw on the roughly 20 trillion won gain from selling its Kioxia stake.
The company plans to buy back 40 trillion won of shares and allocate over 50 percent of 2025-2027 cash flow to returns.
SK Hynix paused the U.S. listing of its Solidigm chip unit, citing market volatility.

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