DRAM Prices Predicted to Jump a Record 40% in 2017
 

According to IC Insights, DRAM prices will continue to increase even though they have more than doubled (+111%) over the last 12 months: it predicts that by the end of the calendar year, DRAM's price per bit will have jumped a record 40% (or more). The three remaining major DRAM suppliers -- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron -- are each currently enjoying record profits from their memory sales. Previously, when DRAM capacity was tight and suppliers were enjoying record profits, one or more suppliers eventually would break rank and begin adding additional DRAM capacity to capture additional sales and marketshare. At that time, there were six, eight, or a dozen DRAM suppliers. If the supplier was equipping an existing fab shell, new capacity could be brought on-line relatively quickly (i.e., six months). A greenfield wafer fab -- one constructed on a new site -- took about two years to reach high-volume production. Will the same situation play out with only three DRAM suppliers left to serve the market?

http://www.hardocp.com/news/2017/09/...rd_40_in_2017/