"In the age of agentic AI, Samsung Electronics could reach 530,000 won and SK hynix 3.2 million won" ... Emart says "buying opportunity on weakness" despite Starbucks headwinds [Stocktopia]

[The Financial News] Here is a roundup of major brokerage reports as of the morning of June 8.
Analysts said Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has raised its target price as the spread of agentic AI is lifting both memory demand and prices, which is improving earnings expectations. SK hynix was also seen entering an era of "customized memory" as AI server demand expands beyond HBM into a wider range of memory products.
Emart was also assessed as having limited room for additional negative surprises, even with short-term earnings headwinds at the Starbucks operator.
◆Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (005930)— NH Investment & Securities / Analyst Ryu Young-ho
- Target price: 530,000 won (up 8.2% from 490,000 won) | Previous close: 329,000 won
- Investment rating: Buy (maintained)
NH Investment & Securities raised its target price for Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. to 530,000 won, saying the spread of agentic AI is creating a new investment cycle and pushing up prices for both commodity memory and HBM.
At the International Computer Exhibition held in Taipei from June 2 to 5, analyst Ryu Young-ho said he became convinced that "we have entered a new cycle different from the existing AI cycle as agentic AI spreads." He added that the growing importance of central processing units (CPUs) in the age of agentic AI is becoming even more pronounced, and that the potential for expansion into edge devices has also been confirmed.
He went on to say that the DRAM capacity required for a single AI inference server has increased to more than four times that of a conventional general-purpose server. He also noted that the widening price gap between commodity memory and HBM has justified HBM price increases in 2027, which he expects will further strengthen the downside support for earnings that year.※ Agentic AIThis refers to an AI system that goes beyond simply carrying out tasks according to instructions. It can set goals on its own, perceive its environment, and use available resources and information to achieve those goals. It is a more advanced system than generative AI.※ High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM)This is a high-performance DRAM in which memory chips are stacked in multiple layers and connected vertically through tiny holes between the chips. It widens the data pathway far more than conventional DRAM, improving speed while reducing power consumption.
◆SK hynix (000660)— NH Investment & Securities / Analyst Ryu Young-ho
- Target price: 3.2 million won (up 3.2% from 3.1 million won) | Previous close: 2.07 million won
- Investment rating: Buy (maintained)
NH Investment & Securities raised its target price for SK hynix to 3.2 million won, saying AI server demand is spreading beyond HBM into server DRAM, enterprise SSDs, and low-power DRAM, and that memory is evolving into a more "customized" business.
The firm said the industry is shifting from mass-producing simple commodity products to one in which packaging methods and heat-management technologies differ by customer, which will change the way memory itself is viewed.
Analyst Ryu Young-ho said, "Strong memory demand in the AI era and changes in the industry structure could lead to a re-rating of memory companies."※ Solid-state drive (SSD)This is a storage device made with NAND flash, a semiconductor that retains data even when the power is off. Because data remains stored without power, it is used for photos and files, and it is faster and more shock-resistant than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs).※ Central processing unit (CPU)This is the core semiconductor that serves as the brain of a computer, handling calculations and commands like a command center. As agentic AI makes more decisions and executes more steps on its own, the role of this brain grows, and so does the amount of memory needed to support it.※ Edge deviceThis refers to on-site devices such as smartphones, cars, and robots that process data directly on the device instead of sending it to a distant large data center. As AI spreads beyond data centers into these devices, memory must be built into each one, broadening demand further.
◆Emart (139480)— KIWOOM Securities Co., Ltd. / Analyst Park Sang-jun
- Target price: 120,000 won (maintained) | Previous close: 89,200 won
- Investment rating: Buy (maintained)
KIWOOM Securities Co., Ltd. said that while short-term expectations for Emart have weakened due to controversy surrounding the Starbucks operator's earnings, the possibility of additional negative surprises is limited. It maintained its Buy rating and target price of 120,000 won.
Analyst Park Sang-jun said, "We are lowering our second-quarter consolidated operating profit forecast to 31.9 billion won to reflect weaker earnings visibility due to the controversy over Starbucks' Tank Day event," but added that "the company will benefit from a positive spillover effect from Homeplus store closures."
He added, "Given that it will be difficult for additional negative news to emerge, investors should look for buying opportunities on share-price pullbacks."

sms@fnnews.com Seong Min-seo Reporter