Three cyclical ETFs could benefit from improving U.S. growth, resilient consumer spending and AI demand despite inflation and rate-hike risks.
Putting the memory shortage in context and why Micron and Sandisk shares could still have room to run.
Micron Technology, Sandisk and SK Hynix have been three of the largest beneficiaries of the AI boom over the last year. After a summer correction, they appear poised for another rally.
The Roundhill Memory ETF has gained almost 18% over the past month as investors focus on tightening memory supply and rising demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in artificial intelligence infrastructure. AI buildout drives memory demand A Seeking Alpha report highlighted the growing importance of memory in the AI infrastructure buildout, citing research from Taiwan-based semiconductor market research firm TrendForce.
Roundhill Memory ETF is initiated with a strong buy, capitalizing on unprecedented AI-driven memory demand and compressed valuations among leading memory makers. DRAM's concentrated exposure to Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron offers investors access to dominant global memory suppliers, including hard-to-access foreign equities. The recent selloff in DRAM was driven by over-leveraged Korean retail, not fundamentals; fundamentals remain robust with strong earnings and guidance exceeding expectations.
The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is creating a bottleneck for the semiconductor industry. As hyperscalers continue spending billions of dollars on AI data centers, the demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used alongside advanced AI processors has surged, diverting production away from smartphones, PCs and other electronics.
Time for me to upgrade Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) to Buy, reflecting a compelling entry after a robust July bottom amid the recent collapse in buying sentiments. DRAM offers concentrated exposure to leading memory and storage players, with >35% in Samsung and SK Hynix, and optionality via NAND and Chinese entrants. Supply chain constraints and long-term agreements support near-term pricing, but normalization and capacity expansions may cap long-term upside.
SK Hynix's $720B memory expansion targets soaring AI demand, while three ETFs offer diversified exposure to the HBM boom.
Active ETFs closed July with $2.59 trillion in global assets, an all-time high. The industry pulled in $89.58 billion in net inflows during the month, according to ETFGI.
The Roundhill Memory ETF (CBOE:DRAM) has become the retail trade of the year.
The Roundhill Memory ETF (CBOE:DRAM) gives investors a pure-play basket of the world's memory chipmakers, the companies that build the DRAM, NAND, and high-bandwidth memory feeding the AI buildout.
The Roundhill Memory ETF (DRAM) is rated BUY, driven by major shareholder-return programs from SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron, which comprise 71% of DRAM's exposure. SK hynix's $28.6B buyback and Samsung's potential $72B return program signal a structural shift toward higher capital returns, reducing reliance on memory price acceleration. DRAM's recent correction offers a more attractive entry point, with a base case expectation of 10%-15% total return over 6–12 months if supply remains tight.