SK hynix slides 5.49% as its share repurchase comes to an end

SK hynix shares fell 5.49% on October 22, 2026, to close at 1,223,000 won, from 1,294,000 won a session earlier. The drop came one day after the chipmaker finished its 40 trillion won share repurchase weeks ahead of schedule. In dollar terms the close was about US$923.58, a 5.42% loss.

The broad market also fell, but by less. The KOSPI lost 3.52% to 5,533.77, and the TIGER 200 fund, which tracks Korea’s 200 largest stocks, dropped 3.41% over the same session.

⤢

Losses that began before the open

In an afternoon headline, Chosunbiz tied the slide in Korean shares, with both the KOSPI and the KOSDAQ lower, to nerves about artificial intelligence and to the end of SK hynix’s repurchase. Seoul Economic Daily reported that Samsung Electronics and SK hynix were already trading lower before the regular session as investors took profits. By late morning, both chip stocks were down more than 3%, Maeil Business Newspaper reported.

The decline wiped out the 5.81% gain of October 21, the session when SK hynix completed its repurchase. The stock ended exactly where it closed on October 20.

A 40 trillion won program, now finished

SK hynix filed the decision on August 19, 2026. It covered 24,070,000 common shares worth about 40.0 trillion won (about US$30.2 billion). The company said the goal was to lift shareholder value by canceling the shares. The program was allowed to run from August 20 to November 19, 2026, so it ended almost a month early.

The stock carries heavy weight at home. SK hynix was valued at about 893.4 trillion won (about US$674.7 billion) on October 22, or 21.24% of the KOSPI 200’s total market value. That is one reason its swings shape the KOSPI’s big days.

Down about a third since late September

From September 30 to October 22, the shares lost 31.14% in won. For a dollar-based holder the loss was 29.65%, softened by a firmer won, which moved from 1,352.8 to 1,324.2 per dollar over that window. Over the past 20 sessions the stock is down 34.14%.

The slide contrasts with the company’s latest results. In the second quarter of 2026, SK hynix reported operating profit of 60.54 trillion won on revenue of 79.32 trillion won. Operating profit rose 60.97% from the first quarter and was the highest in at least six quarters.

SK hynix is scheduled to hold its third-quarter 2026 results conference call on October 28 at 09:00 KST.

---

Information only, not investment advice.