SKHY Tracks Worst Month Since Nasdaq Debut: SK Hynix Reportedly Wants To Ship More Chip Tools To China Before Building In US

October 15, 2026 - 11:24

Solidigm, the US based unit of South Korean memory maker SK Hynix, is reportedly asking Washington for permission to ship additional semiconductor manufacturing equipment to its plant in Dalian, China. The request covers tools from major American suppliers including Lam Research, Applied Materials and KLA Corp, according to people familiar with the matter.

The move comes as SK Hynix faces its roughest stretch since listing on the Nasdaq. Shares have slid through the worst month since the company's US debut, pressured by weak memory demand and uncertainty over export controls that limit what advanced equipment can be sent to Chinese fabs.

Solidigm operates a NAND flash facility in Dalian that it inherited after SK Hynix acquired Intel's storage business. Keeping that site supplied with US made gear requires Washington's sign off, and any delay could slow output at a time when the broader chip market is already soft.

The timing is notable. SK Hynix has been weighing a larger US manufacturing footprint, but the company appears to want to maximize existing capacity in China first. Analysts say the strategy reflects a simple calculation: sweat the assets already in place before committing billions to new American plants.

It remains unclear whether the request will be granted. US officials have tightened rules on chip equipment exports to China over the past two years, and approvals have become slower and more selective. For SK Hynix, the answer could shape both its China operations and its broader investment plans.