Samsung Electronics has lowered its target for NAND wafer output this year to around 4.72 million sheets, about 7% down from the previous year's 5.07 million. Kioxia also adjusted its output from 4.80 million last year to 4.69 million this year.. SK hynix and Micron are likewise keeping output conservatively constrained in a bid to benefit from higher prices. SK hynix's NAND output fell about 10%, from 2.01 million sheets last year to around 1.80 million this year. Micron's situation is similar: it is maintaining production at Fab 7 in Singapore—its largest NAND production base—in the low 300,000-sheet range, keeping a conservative supply posture.
Micron has a new US fab coming online in 2027, which should improve supply.
Yes, anywhere there is a race to the bottom. That is why you see cartels rise up, like unions are cartels. Things that are not cartels generally have ever diminishing margins.
I see the rising of cartels more just the inevitable consequence of market systems where some players just getting bigger and bigger. Then when only a few large players are left, they collude (either openly, or just by unspoken agreement). So less of a race to the bottom, but a race to the top.
https://x.com/jukanlosreve/status/1988505115339436423
Micron has a new US fab coming online in 2027, which should improve supply.DRAM price fixing scandal: 1998-2002, 2016-2018, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DRAM_price_fixing_scandal