MICRON TO DOUBLE HBM PRODUCTION CAPACITY, NARROWING GAP WITH SAMSUNG AND SK HYNIX U.S. memory maker Micron plans to double its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production capacity from last year. Through aggressive capital spending by year-end, the company aims to strengthen its supply capabilities for 12-high HBM4, the latest generation of HBM. The move is intended to increase its market share by expanding its HBM capacity, which currently trails that of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. According to industry sources on September 3, Micron plans to add up to 60,000 wafers per month of HBM production capacity by the end of this year. The net addition would exceed the company’s HBM production level of roughly 40,000–50,000 wafers per month last year. “Micron is making substantial investments in equipment to rapidly ramp up its HBM4 production capacity,” said an industry source familiar with the matter. “By the end of this year, it will have secured HBM production capacity of approximately 100,000 wafers per month.” To achieve this expansion, Micron is increasing purchase orders (POs) with multiple HBM equipment suppliers. Equipment deliveries are understood to be ongoing at its HBM manufacturing sites in Taiwan and Singapore. The share of 12-high HBM4 in Micron’s production mix is expected to rise significantly. Currently, 12-high HBM3E accounts for most of its HBM output. As recently as early this year, 12-high HBM4 represented only 20–30% of the total, but that share is reportedly set to reach as much as 50% by year-end. Twelve-high HBM4 will be used in Vera Rubin, the latest AI accelerator from NVIDIA, the world’s largest AI chip company. Micron began mass production of its 12-high HBM4 products in the second quarter of this year. During Micron’s fiscal third-quarter 2026 earnings announcement in June, CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said, “We are ramping up 12-high HBM4 production at roughly twice the pace of 12-high HBM3E,” adding that “cumulative revenue from HBM4 shipments has exceeded $1 billion.” Although Micron is one of the world’s three major HBM manufacturers, its production capacity falls short of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Industry estimates put each Korean company’s HBM capacity at approximately 150,000–200,000 wafers per month—three to four times Micron’s level. Unless Micron catches up with their production capacity, it will struggle to escape its position as a perennial third-place player. If Micron meets its capacity target this year, it could roughly halve its production gap with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Micron’s HBM capacity expansion also underscores the strength of demand for AI memory. Supply continues to fall short of demand as AI chipmakers, led by NVIDIA, seek large volumes of HBM. In this environment, maximizing HBM earnings requires the ability to supply more products—in other words, sufficient production capacity. Micron is investing in HBM manufacturing facilities around the world. In addition to its investments in the United States, the company carries out HBM packaging at its Tongluo fab in Taiwan and Woodlands fab in Singapore, and is preparing equipment investments in Hiroshima, Japan. According to Counterpoint Research, SK hynix led the global HBM market with a 50% share in the second quarter of this year, followed by Samsung Electronics at 32% and Micron at 18%. $MU