These 3 stocks will rise by 60% (according to Citi)

These 3 stocks will rise 60% (according to Citi) thanks to AI. The chip industry is currently undergoing a revolutionary phase, driven by the expansion of major global companies specializing in the production of memory chips intended for training advanced artificial intelligence models.

According to the projections of Citi, after the rise of Nvidia during 2023 (+238%), these 3 companies will be the new protagonists in 2024, thanks to the design of new memory chips semi-custom dedicated to artificial intelligence applications.

Let’s look in detail at the growth potential of each company, in light of the analysts’ perspectives.

1) SK Hynix

SK Hynix, the South Korean chip giant, recently moved up the market capitalization rankings of the Korean Stock Exchange, reaching second place at the end of 2023. This advance was driven by a solid recovery in the semiconductor sector and the boom generated by artificial intelligence.

SK Hynix income statement

Source: S&P Global, Marketscreener

As the main supplier of high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia, SK Hynix shares have jumped more than 80% during 2023. Citi expects stock prices to rise 63% this year. Morgan Stanley also expects SK Hynix to return to profitability in the fourth quarter, kicking off an earnings cycle set to reach “record levels by the end of 2024 or early 2025.” The bank’s experts have set a price target of 210,000 Korean won ($160) indicating a potential upside of 52%: according to the investment bank, current valuations reflect a risk-reward ratio that the market may not have fully evaluated.

2) Micron Technology

Micron Technology, the world’s fifth-largest chipmaker, claims third place in market share for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips and fifth place for NAND flash chips.

Micron Technology income statement

Source: S&P Global, Marketscreener

At the end of December, it surprised the market with higher-than-estimated quarterly revenues, which sent the stock soaring on the Nasdaq by almost 10% in just a few sessions. This result is particularly significant following one of the steepest downturns in recent years in the memory chip industry.

Micron expects a recovery in 2024 and points out that demand for flash and DRAM storage will continue to grow, while supply approaches historically normal levels. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra predicted an improvement in memory prices next year, with further increases in 2025. Micron, an industry watcher, expects PC and mobile chip supply levels to approach normal levels in the first half of next year.

With the integration of generative AI into various products, demand for Micron’s high-bandwidth chips is increasing, reflecting a trend toward more advanced AI servers in data centers.

Although the company reported an adjusted loss in the second quarter, analysts see this as a sign of the beginning of a recovery in the flash memory and storage market. More details will be available on January 31, with the publication of the detailed financial reports.

Citi estimates that the stock could rise 11.3% over the next 12 months, with a target price at $95.

3) Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics, the South Korean giant known as the largest global maker of dynamic random access memory chips, smartphones, and televisions, expects a 35% profit drop in the fourth quarter, the lowest in six quarters, but analysts believe this may indicate a reversal of the trend.

Samsung income statement

Source: S&P Global, Marketscreener

Despite the prospect of profit reduction, a solid performance this quarter could justify Samsung’s notable stock market rally, which has positioned it as Asia’s second-largest publicly traded company after its rival Taiwanese TSMC. The chip division, traditionally the most profitable, narrowed its quarterly loss to about 1.2 trillion won, indicating a return to profit for its Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) chip business. Prices of DRAM and NAND chips, used in technology devices and data storage respectively, rose in the fourth quarter, signaling a positive outlook for the industry in 2024.

Samsung quarterly earnings

Source: S&P Global, Marketscreener

After cutting production in the first half of 2023, Samsung reacted to the crisis and started buying silicon again at the end of the year, signaling a possible increase in chip production.

According to Citi analysts, the stock could rise by more than 40% in the next 12 months.

DISCLAIMER The information and considerations in this article should not be used as the sole or primary basis for making investment decisions. The reader maintains full freedom in his own investment choices and full responsibility in making them, since only he knows his risk appetite and his time horizon. The information contained in the article is provided for informational purposes only and its disclosure does not constitute and should not be considered an offer or solicitation to the public for savings.

Original article published on Money.it Italy 2024-01-11 12:50:00. Original title: Questi 3 titoli saliranno del 60% (secondo Citi)