Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix Sued Over Alleged DRAM Price Fixing
A US class-action lawsuit accuses Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix of restricting DRAM supply to artificially inflate prices amid surging AI demand.
A private class-action lawsuit filed in the United States on June 29 accuses Micron Technology, Samsung, and SK Hynix of deliberately constraining DRAM supply to drive up prices, capitalizing on explosive demand fueled by the artificial intelligence boom. The complaint targets three of the world's dominant memory chip manufacturers simultaneously, signaling a broad antitrust challenge to the industry's pricing practices.
Micron, traded on the Nasdaq under the ticker MU, has recently been highlighted by prominent investors as a top AI-related play. Billionaire Philippe Laffont is among those who have backed the stock, citing the company's central role in supplying memory chips critical to AI infrastructure. That bullish investor sentiment now sits alongside serious legal scrutiny over whether the company and its rivals have coordinated to keep supply artificially tight.
Read more Micron Technology Eyes $1,750 Price Target After Record Q3 →
DRAM — dynamic random-access memory — is a core component in servers, data centers, and AI accelerator hardware. As hyperscalers and AI developers race to expand computing capacity, demand for high-bandwidth memory has surged, putting chipmakers in a position of considerable pricing power. Critics argue that power may have been abused through deliberate supply restrictions rather than organic market dynamics.
The lawsuit adds legal risk to a stock already navigating a volatile macro environment, trade restrictions, and fierce competition. Whether the plaintiffs can demonstrate coordinated behavior rather than parallel business decisions will be the central legal question as the case moves forward. Antitrust cases against semiconductor firms have historically faced high evidentiary bars in US courts.
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