SK Hynix Adds a KRW 10,000 Special Dividend: Who Qualifies for the 3 Quarter's KRW 20,000 Dividend? How to Check the Record Date
SK Hynix has declared a dividend of KRW 20,000 per share for the 3 quarter of 2026. The amount consists of a regular dividend of KRW 10,000 plus a special dividend of KRW 10,000 reflecting investment gains from Kioxia. However, owning shares on the dividend announcement date does not automatically entitle every shareholder to receive the dividend. Actual eligibility is determined by the dividend record date and the shareholder register.
Unlike an ordinary quarterly dividend, this distribution includes a special dividend, so investors need to distinguish between the amount being paid this time and what they might receive in future quarters.
*Information checked: 2026-10-28 at 5 p.m., Korea Standard Time*
1. How Is SK Hynix's KRW 20,000 Dividend for the 3 Quarter Structured?
SK Hynix announced on October 28 that its dividend for the 3 quarter would be KRW 20,000 per share. Half reflects improved earnings, while the other half is a special dividend returning gains from its Kioxia investment to shareholders.
| Category | Amount per Share |
|---|---|
| Earnings-based dividend | KRW 10,000 |
| Kioxia special dividend | KRW 10,000 |
| Total | KRW 20,000 |
SK Hynix announced that its board of directors had approved a cash dividend totaling KRW 14,000,000,000,000 for the 3 quarter at its meeting that day.
The key point is that the special dividend of KRW 10,000 is not a fixed payment that automatically recurs every quarter.
A special dividend may be paid to distribute gains from a particular investment or a one-time financial achievement to shareholders. Therefore, investors should not simply multiply this quarter's KRW 20,000 per share by 4 and assume that an annual dividend of KRW 80,000 has been confirmed.
Official source: SK Hynix's 3-quarter 2026 earnings and shareholder returns announcement
2. Can You Receive the Dividend If You Buy Shares on October 28?
Buying shares on October 28 does not necessarily qualify you for the dividend. To receive it, you must be recognized as a shareholder on the applicable record date, taking the trade settlement date into account.
There are three important dividend-related dates to distinguish.
| Date | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Dividend record date | The date used to determine which shareholders are entitled to the dividend |
| Ex-dividend date | The first trading day on which new buyers no longer acquire the right to that dividend |
| Dividend payment date | The date on which the cash dividend is actually paid |
Shares listed in South Korea generally settle on a T+2 basis, meaning settlement is completed 2 business days after the trade date.
For example, if the dividend record date falls on a Friday and there are no market holidays in between, investors would generally need to purchase shares by Wednesday to qualify as shareholders on that record date.
However, this is only a hypothetical example illustrating how to calculate the relevant dates. It does not mean that the record date for this SK Hynix dividend falls on a Friday.
The earnings press release issued on 2026-10-28 alone is not sufficient to establish the final eligible purchase date or payment date for this dividend.
Before making a trade, investors should check SK Hynix's investor relations information and the cash or in-kind dividend resolution filing on the Financial Supervisory Service's DART electronic disclosure system to confirm the dividend record date.
3. How Much Dividend Would You Receive If You Held 10, 50, or 100 SK Hynix Shares?
Based on a dividend of KRW 20,000 per share, the following table shows the pretax dividend amounts for different shareholdings.
| Shares Held | Pretax Dividend |
|---|---|
| 1 shares | KRW 20,000 |
| 10 shares | KRW 200,000 |
| 50 shares | KRW 1,000,000 |
| 100 shares | KRW 2,000,000 |
| 500 shares | KRW 10,000,000 |
The calculation is straightforward.
Pretax Dividend = Number of Dividend-Eligible Shares × KRW 20,000 per Share
For example, if you hold 50 dividend-eligible shares, the calculation is 50 × KRW 20,000, resulting in a pretax dividend of KRW 1,000,000.
However, the amount actually deposited into your account will vary depending on taxes.
Applying the standard domestic dividend income withholding tax rate of 15.4% as a simplified assumption produces the following estimates.
| Shares Held | Estimated Amount After 15.4% Withholding |
|---|---|
| 10 shares | KRW 169,200 |
| 50 shares | KRW 846,000 |
| 100 shares | KRW 1,692,000 |
*Author's calculations. These are illustrative estimates assuming the standard withholding tax rate. The actual tax rate and amount deposited may vary depending on how dividend income is taxed, the type of account, and each investor's individual tax circumstances.*
In particular, the final tax burden may differ depending on whether the investor is subject to comprehensive taxation of financial income and how the special dividend is treated for tax purposes. Investors should therefore review the actual dividend payment disclosure and guidance from their brokerage.
4. Will the KRW 10,000 Special Dividend Continue in Future Quarters?
The current announcement does not establish that the special dividend of KRW 10,000 will be repeated every quarter.
SK Hynix announced plans to return approximately KRW 100,000,000,000,000 to shareholders in 2026, including at least KRW 30,000,000,000,000 in cash dividends and at least KRW 60,000,000,000,000 through share repurchases and cancellations.
The company outlined the following shareholder return principles.
Determine cash dividends based on business performance
Distribute additional returns through special dividends when substantial investment gains are realized
Continue share repurchases on a quarterly basis
Cash dividends and share repurchases and cancellations benefit shareholders in different ways.
Cash dividends provide direct payments to eligible shareholders, while share cancellations reduce the number of shares in circulation by eliminating treasury shares held by the company.
Shareholders cannot divide the value of canceled shares by their individual shareholdings and receive that amount as a cash dividend.
The company's announced annual shareholder return plan should also be distinguished from the amount actually distributed or executed.
5. Will the Share Price Rise by the Same Amount as the Dividend Increase?
A higher dividend does not necessarily lead to a higher share price.
Dividends provide cash to shareholders, but when shares begin trading ex-dividend, the separation of dividend rights can create downward pressure on the share price. The actual price depends on market conditions and buying and selling activity.
Consider a hypothetical example.
Suppose a stock trades at KRW 1,000,000 before going ex-dividend and pays a dividend of KRW 20,000 per share.
Considering only the theoretical price adjustment attributable to the dividend, a price around KRW 980,000 might be expected. However, this does not mean the stock will necessarily trade at KRW 980,000.
Therefore, even if an investor buys shares to receive the KRW 20,000 dividend, a share price decline of KRW 30,000 would mean the dividend alone could not offset the capital loss. Dividend-related taxes and transaction costs must also be considered.
Dividend Yield Depends on the Actual Purchase Price, Not Just the Dividend per Share
For example, assuming a share price of KRW 1,000,000, the dividend yield on this payment of KRW 20,000 per share would be 2% before tax.
This represents the yield from a single dividend payment, not the annual dividend yield.
6. How to Check Dividend Eligibility Through Your Brokerage Account
To determine whether you qualify for a dividend payment, it is more accurate to check both the dividend record date and your transaction history rather than relying solely on the current holdings displayed in your brokerage app.
Follow these steps to verify your eligibility.
1. Search DART, Korea's electronic disclosure system, for SK Hynix's cash or in
2. Check the dividend record date, dividend per share, and payment schedule.
3. Review the execution dates of your share purchases and sales.
4. Determine whether you qualified as a shareholder on the dividend record date, taking trade settlement dates into account.
5. After the payment date, check your brokerage app for the dividend deposit.
Menu names vary by brokerage, but this information is generally available under transaction history, corporate actions, or dividend history.
If you purchase shares before the dividend record date and sell them on the ex-dividend date, you may still retain the right to receive that dividend. However, you must separately consider share price movements around the ex-dividend date and the settlement schedule.
7. Three Key Points About the SK Hynix Dividend
There are three important distinctions to make based on the 2026-10-28 announcement.
First, the dividend for the 3 quarter is KRW 20,000 per share, of which KRW 10,000 is a special dividend.
Second, the dividend of KRW 20,000 per share is not guaranteed to be paid every quarter going forward. Future dividends may vary depending on the company's performance, board decisions, and other factors.
Third, actual dividend eligibility depends on the dividend record date and settlement schedule, not simply on whether you held shares on the announcement date.
Rather than deciding whether to buy shares based solely on the dividend amount, investors should also calculate the potential impact of share price fluctuations and their after-tax dividend yield.
※ This article is provided for informational purposes to help readers understand market developments. It does not constitute an investment recommendation for any particular stock or asset. All final investment decisions and associated responsibilities rest with the individual investor.