Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix ended June with a combined 11,432,768 small shareholders, up about 6.05 million from 5,382,255 at the end of last year, as expectations for a semiconductor recovery and sharp share-price gains pulled more retail money into the sector. Samsung's small-shareholder count reached a half-year record 7,971,242, up about 2.92 million from a year earlier and about 3.77 million from the end of last year, with those investors holding 66.24% of outstanding shares. SK Hynix's count climbed to 3,461,526, up 2,779,855 from a year earlier and nearly triple its end-2024 level, with small shareholders owning 484,497,952 shares, or 67.98% of 712,702,365 shares outstanding; the company defines small shareholders as holders of less than 1% of total shares. The combined tally does not represent 11.43 million distinct investors because some may own both stocks. The influx came as SK Hynix extended a rally driven by high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, demand and improving earnings, while Samsung also rebounded on expectations of a memory-market recovery and stronger sales of higher-value products. Both companies have indicated further shareholder return measures, though the article noted that future gains will depend on whether chip-market conditions, HBM demand and earnings growth meet expectations, and that a larger retail investor base could also increase volatility.