ASML to Increase Prices for Samsung and SK Hynix by 10% Amid Surge in AI-Driven Demand

Huo Xing Finance reports that on October 10, according to Korean media, ASML has notified Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix of a uniform 10% price increase for EUV and DUV lithography machine components in the Korean market, covering consumable parts for regular replacement and core components required for repair, including optical systems, light sources, and precision drive mechanisms. After negotiations between the procurement departments of both parties, the two major memory chip manufacturers have accepted the price increase, with the adjustments expected to take effect in January next year. This comprehensive, uniform price hike is relatively rare; previously, ASML typically adjusted prices only for specific components affected by rising raw material costs or supply shortages. Meanwhile, the company is currently negotiating price increases for new equipment with its major customers. According to prior reports, equipment manufacturers such as Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron have also initiated product price hikes, indicating that the trend of rising prices is spreading across the semiconductor equipment industry. Investment in AI data centers has driven memory chip and wafer foundry manufacturers to expand capacity, leading to concentrated demand for equipment and components. However, suppliers require time to scale up production, compounded by inflation and rising raw material costs, shifting bargaining power in the equipment supply chain toward suppliers. The report notes that TSMC previously opposed ASML’s equipment price increases, indicating that different customers still vary in their acceptance of rising costs.