Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. are drawing renewed investor interest as expectations for larger shareholder payouts become a fresh catalyst for their shares alongside the AI-driven memory upcycle. SK Hynix said on Aug. 7 it plans to present a detailed shareholder return policy in the third quarter, while Samsung rose 4.1% the previous day as speculation grew that it could broaden shareholder returns, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 11. The shift in focus comes as cash flow strengthens at both companies because memory shortages tied to AI demand continue, even though the pace of memory price increases is starting to slow. TrendForce expects contract prices for commodity DRAM to rise 58% to 63% in the second quarter of 2026 from the prior quarter, while server DRAM price gains are forecast to slow to 13% to 18% in the third quarter. With memory stocks often pricing in slower profit growth before earnings peak, investors are looking more closely at buybacks and dividends. SK Hynix and Samsung shares are already down about 50% and 34%, respectively, from their June highs. Longer-term supply agreements are also helping underpin confidence that shareholder returns can be sustained: SK Hynix has signed such deals with about 10 customers, Samsung expects multiyear contracts to cover 60% to 70% of planned production capacity, and Micron had 16 long-term supply agreements at the end of June. Jun Bei Liu, co-founder of Ten Cap Investment, said buybacks could support valuations and attract institutional investors as concern grows over a peak in the memory cycle, and added that buybacks and special dividends could become regular policies for memory-chip makers. Bloomberg said fundamentals remain firm, citing South Korea's exports for Aug. 1-10, which rose 45% from a year earlier, and said chipmakers are likely to keep generating strong cash flow for now as supply shortages persist even if memory price gains lose momentum.