Overview
- SK hynix began a concrete 40 trillion won buyback-and-cancellation program that the board approved on Aug. 19 and opened for purchases the next day, and the stock rallied after the move.
- Samsung’s board on Aug. 21 approved a 90–110 trillion won shareholder-return package that includes about 30 trillion won in Q3 dividends and a 15 trillion won buyback for employee compensation, but left 60–80 trillion won to be allocated later.
- Investors punished Samsung for the lack of immediate buyback detail, sending the stock down about 8–9 percent on Aug. 24 and dragging Samsung affiliates and the KOSPI lower.
- Regulatory and ownership limits make large-scale cancellations difficult for Samsung because Samsung Life and Samsung Fire already sit at roughly the 10 percent combined cap, which would force those insurers to sell if outstanding shares fell.
- Analysts say the contrast shows a trade-off between instant per-share gains from cancellations, as SK hynix is pursuing, and Samsung’s preference for dividends to avoid forcing affiliated insurers to divest, with the unresolved January 2027 decision the key next milestone.