Kioxia Falls 9% Today After Missing Profit Guidance; Stock Up 2,000% Over Past Year

Kioxia Holdings slid 9% today after the chipmaker issued weaker-than-expected profit guidance for its fiscal half-year operating income of ¥3.16 trillion ($19.7 billion), implying ¥1.89 trillion for the current quarter. The stock had surged roughly 2,000% over the past year amid strong AI-driven demand for NAND flash memory, but has retreated sharply from its June peak of ¥112,700.

Analyst opinion remains divided. Fourteen firms rate Kioxia a buy with average price targets implying over 100% upside, while one recommends selling. Daiwa, UBS, and Goldman Sachs reaffirmed buy ratings this week, whereas Bernstein maintained its sell recommendation. The company paired its guidance with a three-for-one stock split and an ¥800 billion buyback program.