[Edaily Marketin Reporter LEE GEON-EOM ] SK hynix(000660)has begun streamlining the management of its short-term funds and corporate bonds by expanding its team of financial specialists. This move is seen as a strategic step to further enhance its investment expertise, as the company continues to deploy large amounts of capital in financial markets—such as securities bonds and commercial paper (CP)—using the substantial cash reserves accumulated during the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) boom. With demand for artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors continuing to grow, the company is expected to focus on proactive asset allocation and strengthened risk management.

According to industry sources on the 30th, SK hynix recently posted a job opening to recruit specialized personnel for its treasury team. The company aims to select talent capable of formulating asset allocation and treasury management strategies to enhance its operational capabilities, ranging from company-wide cash flow management to the utilization of various funding pipelines. Applications will be accepted until the 18th of next month, and the hiring process is scheduled to be completed in the second half of the year.

The selected candidates will be responsible for analyzing internal and external environments, such as the macroeconomy and financial markets, to establish asset allocation strategies. They will manage the performance of both direct and outsourced investments—including time deposits, government and public bonds, special-purpose bonds, corporate bonds, commercial paper (CP), and short-term notes—while also performing risk hedging tasks. Preference will be given to candidates holding relevant certifications, such as those from investment asset management firms, as well as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Manager (FRM) designations.

Industry observers view this as a move to strengthen the company’s fund management capabilities, given the increase in cash equivalents driven by the memory boom and the expansion of corporate bond investments. While SK hynix has historically managed its excess funds primarily through short-term instruments that can be quickly liquidated, it is now gradually expanding its investment portfolio to include corporate bonds with longer maturities as its cash buffer has become more substantial.

In fact, as recently as early this year, SK hynix established itself as a major source of liquidity in the market by successively purchasing high-quality short-term bonds, such as commercial paper (CP) issued by securities firms and credit card bonds. The company has deployed approximately 2 trillion won in the short-term money market, including CP and short-term notes.

Recently, however, the company has been expanding its investment portfolio to include long-term corporate bonds and CPs. SK hynix participated as a major investor in a 3-year, single-tranche, unsecured corporate bond (worth 500 billion won) issued by NH INVESTMENT & SECURITIES, marking the start of a full-scale influx of semiconductor capital into the securities market. It also invested in MIRAE ASSET SECURITIES’ 1.26 trillion won long-term CP, and it is reportedly preparing an additional investment of 1.3 trillion won by the end of this month. Previously, KB Securities also attracted funds from SK hynix during the bookbuilding process for its public bond offering last month.

The ability of SK hynix to deploy large amounts of capital in the short-term market is underpinned by its robust cash generation capacity, driven by strong earnings. SK hynix’s operating profit for the second quarter of this year reached 60.5426 trillion won, setting a new all-time high. Cumulative revenue for the first half of the year amounted to 132 trillion won, while operating profit approached 100 trillion won.

As of the end of the first quarter of this year, SK hynix’s cash and cash equivalents, including short-term investment products, stood at 54.3298 trillion won. This represents an increase of nearly 20 trillion won compared to the 34.9423 trillion won recorded at the end of last year. With cash generated from operating activities surging sharply in a short period, the company’s financial structure remains in a net cash position, enabling flexible cash management. Given that the strong performance trend continued into the second quarter, the level of cash and cash equivalents is estimated to have increased further compared to the end of the first quarter.

Meanwhile, SK hynix cautioned against overinterpreting this development, stating, “This is intended to reinforce the day-to-day operations of our existing finance organization and to expand our workforce.”