SK hynix reportedly plans $12 billion special dividend from Kioxia stake gains ahead of Oct. 28 results

SK hynix (SKHY) is preparing to return about 16 trillion won, roughly $12 billion, to shareholders through a special dividend funded by gains on its investment in Japanese memory maker Kioxia, South Korea's DongA Ilbo reported on Monday. Bloomberg said the plan would hand back about 80% of the gains from selling down the Kioxia stake; an SK hynix spokesperson declined to comment.

Nothing is final yet. The company's Q3 2026 report is confirmed for Wednesday, Oct. 28, per the SentiSense earnings calendar, and that is the natural venue for any shareholder-return announcement, which would still need board approval. The U.S.-listed shares rose 4.1% to $142.62 on Monday, according to SentiSense's delayed quote.

Analysts remain constructive on the memory cycle even as some trim targets. Cantor Fitzgerald cut its price target to $250 from $300 on Monday while keeping an Overweight rating. A Motley Fool analysis put the median 12-month target across 14 analysts at $250, about 82% above the prior close, against a 52% implied gain for Nvidia's median target of $320. It also cited a Bloomberg Intelligence projection that high-bandwidth memory revenue could reach $641 billion in 2030.

What to watch on Oct. 28: whether the board confirms the dividend's size and timing, how much of the Kioxia proceeds stays on the balance sheet for HBM capacity, and whether guidance supports the targets analysts are holding.