US-listed SK hynix shares rose 1.5% in premarket trading.
SK Hynix is considering a special dividend of 16 trillion won ($12 billion), funded by gains from its investment in Japanese memory-chip maker Kioxia Holdings, South Korea's Dong-A Ilbo reported Monday, citing unnamed investment banking sources.
The payout would amount to about 80% of an estimated 20 trillion won in gains SK Hynix booked from its Kioxia investment in the first half of 2026. The company is expected to announce its plans alongside third-quarter earnings on Wednesday, according to the report.
SK Hynix said it was reviewing options to return money to shareholders but had not decided on a special dividend, according to a Bloomberg report, which added that the prospect of a payout has helped the stock hold up amid a broader selloff in AI-related shares.
SK Hynix joined a Bain Capital-led consortium in 2018 to acquire Toshiba's former memory-chip business for $18 billion. Kioxia's value climbed following its Tokyo stock-market debut in 2024.
While Bain Capital sold its entire stake earlier this year, SK Hynix still holds convertible bonds linked to an investment vehicle with about a 14% stake in Kioxia, according to Bloomberg.
