In South Korea, chipmaker SK hynix may announce an additional buyback of its own shares worth up to 40 trillion won in the fourth quarter. Mohammad Hassan, head of Asia-Pacific dividend forecasting at S&P Global Market Intelligence, made this forecast in an interview with The Korea Herald.
According to him, the new buyback could amount to around 20 trillion won or another 40 trillion won. Hassan noted that even after a large-scale share buyback, SK hynix would be able to pay substantial dividends.
In August, the company said it would buy back shares worth 40 trillion won from August 20 to November 19 and cancel them. The company explained this by the need to ensure the shares’ “fair value.”
Dividend forecast
Following the buyback announcement, S&P raised its forecast for SK hynix’s fourth-quarter dividend to 38,097 won per share from 27,268 won. This estimate includes a regular dividend of 375 won and a special dividend of 37,722 won.
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S&P considered scenarios without an additional buyback, as well as with buybacks worth 19 trillion or 40 trillion won. Under these scenarios, fourth-quarter dividends could amount to 15,132, 28,170, and 38,097 won per share, respectively. The forecast has a low level of confidence, as the final amount of payouts will depend on cash flows, capital expenditures, and the allocation of funds among dividends, share buybacks, and investments.
Samsung and SK hynix approaches
Shortly after SK hynix, Samsung Electronics also announced a record shareholder return program, estimating total payouts at 90–110 trillion won. Unlike SK hynix, which focuses on share buybacks, S&P assumes that Samsung will distribute 80% of the remaining funds allocated for shareholder payouts in the fourth quarter in the form of dividends. The forecast for Samsung is 9,149 won per share.
Hassan believes that the programs of the two largest Korean chipmakers could set a new standard for shareholder payouts in the local market. He also noted that, in his view, the investment cycle surrounding artificial intelligence is still at an early stage, while cash flows projected through 2027 should support both technology investments and shareholder payouts.
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