SK Hynix has announced consolidated revenues for 2015 increased 10% to KRW18.8 trillion (US$558.9 million) while operating profits grew 4% to KRW5.3 trillion. Net profits for the year came to KRW4.3 trillion, up 3% from 2014 levels.

The revenue and profit results for 2015 all hit record highs for the third consecutive year, SK Hynix said. Operating margin, however, slid 2pp on year to 28% in 2015.

In the fourth quarter of 2015, SK Hynix posted operating profits of KRW989 billion on revenues of KRW4.4 trillion representing sequential decreases of 10% in revenues and 29% in profits. Net profits fell 17% on quarter to KRW871 billion.

"The results of every sector decreased quarter-over-quarter due to demand slowdown of whole memory semiconductor market," SK Hynix noted. The company also attributed the lower profits for the fourth quarter to "income tax expenses."

SK Hynix disclosed that in the fourth quarter, its DRAM bit shipments and ASPs declined 1% and 10%, respectively, on quarter. For NAND flash, bit shipments increased 4% from the previous quarter but the ASP dropped 15%.

In addition, SK Hynix indicated that it will start mass producing DRAM chips built using "2Znm" class process technology in a full scale, and concentrate on developing more-advanced 1Xnm process technology for the manufacture of DRAM memory.

For NAND Flash, SK Hynix will be developing 1Ynm process technology and expects to start mass production of 48-layer 3D NAND chips after completing the node development.