Micron $MU ( ▼ 0.67% ) shares are drifting lower to start the week after a Reuters report said Samsung is preparing to begin production of next-generation HBM4 memory chips as soon as next month, with early supply headed to Nvidia $NVDA ( ▲ 3.08% ) . The news suggests Samsung may be first out of the gate in the race to supply the latest high-bandwidth memory standard.
The reaction spread across the sector, with SK Hynix also falling in local trading while Samsung edged only slightly higher.
The Memory Rally Meets Its First Speed Bump
Up until now, nearly all headlines around memory chips have lifted the entire group. Price hikes, tighter supply, and production ramps have been treated as universally bullish for Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix alike. This time, the market response looks more selective, with investors zeroing in on who leads the next technology cycle rather than assuming everyone wins equally.
It also comes after a huge run for Micron, which had climbed about 40% year to date through Friday, making the stock more sensitive to any signs a competitor could gain an early edge.
HBM4 Demand Still Looks Strong
Despite the near-term wobble, the broader setup for high-bandwidth memory remains tight. Demand tied to AI workloads continues to outstrip supply, meaning there should be eager buyers for all the HBM4 chips that make it to market.
Micron has already said it expects to begin shipping HBM4 in the second quarter, according to comments from its head of global operations following the company’s latest earnings report. So while Samsung may move first, Micron is not far behind in the next chapter of the AI memory race.