Not much improvements still

DRAM market rose 5.4% sequentially to a record high of US$23.08 billion in the first quarter of 2018.

Graphics DRAM prices rallied by 15% sequentially in the first quarter, given the relatively low base and the surge of demand from the cryptocurrency mining market.

Prices of DRAM products for other applications increased by 3-6% on quarter.

Prices of PC DRAMs are expected to continue their upward trend in the second quarter. PC DRAM contract prices came to US$34 on average in April, a 3% increase from the average quote for the first quarter of 2018.

Samsung Electronics remained the market leader in the first quarter of 2018 with a 44.9% market share, followed by SK Hynix with a 27.9% share and Micron Technology with a 22.6% share.

All 3 are criminal syndicates.

Miners play important role in DRAM prices level

"Orders for DRAMs fell noticeably in April," a representative at a Tokyo electronic parts trader said. "We previously received quite a lot of orders, even from companies with whom we did little business." Demand was particularly strong from virtual currency miners.

At one parts shop in Tokyo's Akihabara electronics district, video cards fill the shelves. "Until February, we would receive 10 calls a day asking if we had such and such video cards in stock," said a clerk at Dospara, a computer equipment store in Akihabara. "These days, we're doing well if we get one such call a week."

Unusually, DRAM prices began climbing in the spring of 2016, as supply failed to keep up with demand. Supplies grew still tighter, starting in the fall of 2017, as demand from individuals and companies in the cryptocurrency mining business rose. The miners were responding to rocketing prices for cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.

With a glut on the horizon, large-lot DRAM prices stopped rising in March for the first time in nine months. Buyers and sellers are beginning to agree on lower prices. Price-setting talks are under way for April-May shipments and beyond. They appear to be headed lower.

The value of DRAM shipments are expected to peak in 2018, according to IHS Markit.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Trends/Cryptocurrency-slowdown-throws-cold-water-on-DRAM-market

DRAM bit demand is expected to increase 22% in 2018, while growth in the bit supply will reach 21%.

Nanya lives good

DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology reported consolidated revenues of NT$8.33 billion (US$279.6 million) for May 2018 which hit a monthly record for the second consecutive month. Nanya's May revenues were up 8.4% on month. The company's cumulative 2018 revenues through May totaled NT$34.8 billion, rising 68.4% on year.

Nanya's DRAM bit shipments grew about 5% sequentially in May while ASPs continued their low single-digit growth. The company expects to post a 17-19% sequential increase in bit shipments for the second quarter, while ASPs will register a low single-digit rise.

@IronFilm

Seems to be written from manufacturers side. This guys really hold production and hide real production costs.

DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology saw its gross margin climb to a record-high 55% in the second quarter of 2018, when consolidated revenues also hit their highest quarterly level in the company's history.

Nanya's gross margin climbed 3.2pp sequentially in the second quarter, thanks to a rally in DRAM prices and the company's improved cost structure. The company posted consolidated revenues of NT$24.59 billion in the second quarter, up 30.8% on quarter and hitting a record high.

Someone needs to be prosecuted hard.

The DRAM market is forecast to post sales of US$101.6 billion in 2018, up 39% on year, said IC Insights. If the sales level is achieved, it would mark the first time an individual IC product category has surpassed US$100.0 billion in annual sales, IC Insights indicated.

The DRAM market will account for 24% of total IC sales in 2018. Meanwhile, the NAND flash market is expected to achieve the second-largest revenue level with total sales of US$62.6 billion this year. Taken together, the two memory categories are forecast to account for 38% of the total US$428.0 billion IC market in 2018, according to IC Insights.

Two largest parts of IC sales are fully rigged markets with cartel agreements.

PC DRAM contract prices have stayed unchanged in August, with average prices for 4GB and 8GB DDR4 modules remaining flat at US$34.50 and US$68.

PC DRAM contract prices would rise by up to 2% in the third quarter.

So, for DRAM cartel things are going very nice.

Happy faces, rich managers, new yachts

Nanya has reported consolidated revenues of NT$8.23 billion (US$267.6 million) for July 2018, up 89.2% on year and 0.9% sequentially. Consolidated sales for July and August amounted to nearly NT$16.4 billion.

DRAM contract prices are forecast to fall 5% sequentially in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to DRAMeXchange, which estimated previously a smaller 1-3% drop. Demand growth has been "limited" while DRAM bit supply continues to grow, said the price tracker.

Well. Rise, flat, fall.

The DRAM market will remain oversupplied in 2019 with the memory ASP to drop by 15-20% on year, according to DRAMeXchange. The industry will see its overall bit output increase by nearly 22% in 2019, thanks largely to mature 1X/1Ynm process production yields, it said.

DRAMeXchange revised again its DRAM ASP outlook for the fourth quarter. ASPs are now expected to fall by up to 10% sequentially in the fourth quarter compared with the about 5% decrease estimated previously. The memory price tracker originally predicted DRAM ASPs would slip 1-3% in the fourth quarter after registering an over 3% decrease in the third.

And someone get less money

Nanya reported consolidated revenues declined nearly 20% sequentially to NT$5.4 billion (US$175.6 million) in November, due to falling shipments and ASPs. The results were also the lowest levels in 13 months.

DRAM memory prices are likely to fall 30-35% on year due mainly to supply-side factors, the sources noted. Combined production capacity at DRAM chipmakers are set to see 10-15% growth annually over the next two years.