SK hynix to Accelerate KRW 40 Trillion Share Buyback and Cancellation; Raises Shareholder Return Target to “At Least 50% of FCF”
▶️ Share Buyback and Cancellation
- On August 19, the board approved the repurchase and cancellation of KRW 40 trillion worth of treasury shares.
- Based on the previous day’s closing price of KRW 1,662,000 per share, the company plans to acquire approximately 24.07 million shares, equivalent to around 3.3% of total shares outstanding.
- The repurchase will begin on August 20 and continue for approximately three months, after which all acquired shares will be cancelled.
- This will be the largest share cancellation ever undertaken by a Korean-listed company.
▶️ Rationale Behind the Decision
- The company believes its current share price does not adequately reflect its intrinsic value, considering its business competitiveness, cash-generating capacity, and medium- to long-term growth prospects.
- SK hynix’s net cash position reached approximately KRW 69 trillion as of the end of the second quarter, reflecting a significant improvement in cash generation.
▶️ Accelerated Implementation of Shareholder Return Policy
- The company is accelerating the implementation of its existing policy to return up to 50% of cumulative free cash flow generated between 2025 and 2027.
It also plans to raise its shareholder return target from “up to 50% of cumulative FCF” to “at least 50%.”
- With progress toward its financial soundness targets remaining on track, the company intends to continue shareholder returns while maintaining a stable financial structure.
▶️ Next Steps
- SK hynix plans to combine share buybacks and cancellations with cash dividends, while also considering measures to expand dividends, including higher fixed dividends and special dividends.
- The specific size and structure of additional shareholder returns will be determined by the board and announced alongside the company’s third-quarter earnings results.
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