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Micron (MU) explained: how it makes money, how it's doing, what protects it

A plain-English guide to the company behind the memory inside phones, PCs and AI servers. See what it sells, why its sales swing so much, who it competes with and what protects it.

⚡What does Micron do, in 30 seconds?

Micron makes memory and storage chips, called DRAM and NAND, for data centers, PCs, phones and cars 1 1. It sold a record $133.2bn ✓ in FY2026, as memory prices rose far faster than the amount of memory shipped 22. DRAM made up 76% ✓ of those sales.

Revenue, FY2026
$133.2bn✓
Profit, FY2026
$85.0bn✓
Sales growth, 4 quarters to 03 Sep 2026 (53 weeks against 52)
256.3%✓
Net cash (cash and investments minus borrowings; leases and stakes in other companies not counted), 03 Sep 2026
$68.3bn✓
Headquarters
Boise, Idaho 1
Employees
About 61,000 1
CEO
Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO since May 2017 and also Chairman since January 2025 123
Founded
1978, in the basement of a Boise dental office 16
Where it makes chips
Its own plants in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, the US, Malaysia, China and India 1
Fiscal year ends
The Thursday closest to 31 August 1

📱What does Micron sell?

Micron sells two main kinds of chip, DRAM and NAND, plus a small line of NOR chips. Here is what each one does and who buys it.

🧠

DRAM memory

DRAM is fast working memory that forgets everything when the power goes off 1. It brought in $100.7bn ✓ in FY2026. It includes HBM, high-bandwidth memory for AI, and in FY2026 Micron began volume production of HBM4 1. In the last quarter of FY2026 it also began sampling the industry's first 512GB server memory modules 3.

👥 Big cloud firms, server makers and other data-center buyers, plus phone, PC and car makers 1.

💾

NAND flash storage

NAND is storage that keeps data with the power off, at high capacity and low cost 1. Micron sells it as SSD drives for data centers and PCs, as storage inside phones and cars, and as plain chips 1. It brought in $31.8bn ✓ in FY2026. That year Micron began shipping a data-center SSD that holds 245 terabytes 1.

👥 Cloud and server buyers, PC and phone makers, and car firms 1. Micron said it would stop shipping its Crucial products to shoppers after February 2026 4.

🔌

Other (mainly NOR flash)

Mostly NOR flash, memory chips that hold start-up and program code in cars, factory machines and gadgets 1. It is a small line, at $0.7bn ✓ in FY2026.

👥 Carmakers, factory equipment makers and gadget makers 1.

How the mix has shifted

Revenue mix by productFY2024DRAM memory: $17.6bn (70%)DRAM memory 70%NAND flash storage: $7.2bn (29%)NAND flash storage 29%Other: $0.3bn (1%)FY2025DRAM memory: $28.6bn (76%)DRAM memory 76%NAND flash storage: $8.5bn (23%)NAND flash storage 23%Other: $0.3bn (1%)FY2026DRAM memory: $100.7bn (76%)DRAM memory 76%NAND flash storage: $31.8bn (24%)NAND flash storage 24%Other: $0.7bn (1%)
Revenue mix by productFY24DRAM memory: $17.6bn (70%)70%NAND flash storage: $7.2bn (29%)29%Other: $0.3bn (1%)FY25DRAM memory: $28.6bn (76%)76%NAND flash storage: $8.5bn (23%)23%Other: $0.3bn (1%)FY26DRAM memory: $100.7bn (76%)76%NAND flash storage: $31.8bn (24%)24%Other: $0.7bn (1%)DRAM memoryNAND flash storageOther
Share of revenue by business line, by fiscal year. Source: Micron Technology, Inc. 10-K filed 2026-10-09.

Where the customers are

Most of Micron's sales, 69% ✓ in FY2026, came from customers based in the United States. That is because Micron counts a sale by where the customer has its head office, not where the chips are shipped 2021. In fact, about 70% of FY2026 sales were shipped to places outside the US 2021. Taiwan added 13% ✓, China 6% ✓ and Hong Kong 5% ✓.

Revenue by regionUnited States$91.3bn 69% of salesTaiwan$17.0bn 13% of salesChina$8.3bn 6% of salesHong Kong$6.3bn 5% of salesOther Asia Pacific$5.8bn 4% of salesJapan$2.1bn 2% of salesEurope$1.7bn 1% of salesOther countries$0.7bn 1% of sales
Revenue by regionUnited States$91.3bn 69%Taiwan$17.0bn 13%China$8.3bn 6%Hong Kong$6.3bn 5%Other Asia Pacific$5.8bn 4%Japan$2.1bn 2%Europe$1.7bn 1%Other countries$0.7bn 1%
Revenue by region, FY2026. Source: Micron Technology, Inc. 10-K filed 2026-10-09.

💸How does Micron make money?

Follow the money from left to rightfrom top to bottom: what customers pay for, what it costs to make, and what is left as profit.

Money map FY2026: how revenue turns into profitDRAM memory → Revenue: $100.7bnNAND flash storage → Revenue: $31.8bnOther → Revenue: $0.7bnRevenue → Gross profit: $107.5bnRevenue → Cost of sales: $25.7bnGross profit → Operating profit: $99.3bnGross profit → R&D: $5.7bnGross profit → Selling & admin: $1.9bnGross profit → Other operating costs: $0.6bnOperating profit → Net income: $84.6bnOperating profit → Income tax: $14.8bnOther income → Net income: $0.4bnDRAM memory$100.7bn · 76%NAND flash storage$31.8bn · 24%Other$0.7bn · 1%Revenue$133.2bnGross profit$107.5bn · 81%Cost of sales$25.7bn · 19%Operating profit$99.3bn · 75%R&D$5.7bn · 4%Selling & admin$1.9bn · 1%Other operating costs$0.6bn · <1%Net income$85.0bn · 64%Income tax$14.8bn · 11%Other income$0.4bn · <1%
Money map FY2026: how revenue turns into profitDRAM memory: $100.7bnNAND flash storage: $31.8bnOther: $0.7bnDRAM memory$100.7bn · 76%NAND flash storage$31.8bn · 24%Other$0.7bn · 1%Revenue: $133.2bnRevenue$133.2bn · 100%Gross profit: $107.5bnCost of sales: $25.7bnGross profit$107.5bn · 81%Cost of sales$25.7bn · 19%Operating profit: $99.3bnR&D: $5.7bnSelling & admin: $1.9bnOther operating costs: $0.6bnOperating profit$99.3bn · 75%R&D$5.7bn · 4%Selling & admin$1.9bn · 1%Other operating costs$0.6bn · <1%Net income: $85.0bnIncome tax: $14.8bnNet income$85.0bn · 64%Income tax$14.8bn · 11%
Money map (a Sankey diagram): band widths are to scale. Hover a band for the amount. Source: Micron Technology, Inc. 10-K filings.

Micron sold $133.2bn ✓ of chips in FY2026. Making them cost $25.7bn ✓. What is left is gross profit, the money kept after paying for what was sold. That came to $107.5bn ✓.

Next come the costs of running the company. Research and development took $5.7bn ✓, and sales, marketing and admin took $1.9bn ✓. Other operating costs took $0.6bn ✓. Operating profit, the profit from the main business, was $99.3bn ✓. After tax of $14.8bn ✓ and a little other income, net income was $85.0bn ✓. Out of every hundred dollars of sales, Micron kept about $64 ✓ as profit.

That was not a normal year. Use the year tabs to compare: in FY2024, Micron kept just $3 ✓ of every hundred dollars. In FY2023, during the last slump, it lost money, with net income of -$5.8bn ✓.

Out of every $100 customers paid in FY2026…

Making the products and services $19Research and development $4Selling and admin $2Income tax $11Profit kept $64
💡
Memory prices swing wildly 20, and Micron's margins swing with them. Gross margin was -9.1% ✓ in FY2023, which means the chips cost more to make than they sold for. It hit 80.7% ✓ in FY2026, when DRAM prices rose about 180% 22.

⏱️ Micron by the clock

Spread the FY2026 totals evenly over its 371 days and you get this. Source: Micron Technology, Inc. 10-K [5].

🛒
$359m
in sales every day
⏱️
$2,651
of profit every second
🔬
$15m
on research every day
🎁
$3m
handed to shareholders every day

📈How is Micron doing?

Micron is in a boom, but its history shows sharp ups and downs. Sales jumped 256.3% ✓ in FY2026 to a record $133.2bn ✓. Most of that came from higher prices: DRAM prices rose about 180% and NAND prices about 200%, while the amount of memory shipped rose only by the mid-20s percent 22. FY2026 also had 53 weeks, one more than usual 1.

Look back and the memory cycle is easy to see. Sales rose to $30.4bn ✓ in FY2018, then fell to $21.4bn ✓ by FY2020. They climbed to $30.8bn ✓ in FY2022, then crashed to $15.5bn ✓ in FY2023. That year, the operating margin was -37.0% ✓. Over ten years, sales still grew 26.8% ✓ a year on average, rising in 7 ✓ of 10 ✓ years.

Prices are what make the cycle so sharp. Over the past five years, Micron's yearly memory prices rose as much as about 200% and fell as much as about 50% 20. At some earlier times, prices even fell below what the chips cost to make 20. Micron warns that heavy spending on new memory plants by Chinese state-linked makers could lead to too much supply 20.

For now, cash is pouring in. Free cash flow reached $59.0bn ✓ in FY2026, even after $30.7bn ✓ of spending on fabs and tools. Micron expects sales of about $61.5bn in the first quarter of FY2027 alone 3. That is a forecast, not a result.

📝 The report card

Right now Micron earns top marks for growth, profit, cash and its balance sheet. But it gets an F ✓ for steadiness, because its sales swing so much. Every company is graded on the same fixed scale, so an A means the same thing on every page. The strip shows where Micron (orange) and its 4 peers land; further right is better.

A

Growth

Sales growth per year, last 3 fiscal years
104.6% · peer median 22.8%
#1 of 5 in the peer group
A ≥ 15.0%B ≥ 10.0%C ≥ 5.0%D ≥ 0.0%F below 0.0%

Micron's sales grew 104.6% ✓ a year over its last three fiscal years, which earns an A ✓. That count starts from FY2023, a slump year with sales of just $15.5bn ✓, so it flatters the trend. Intel's yearly growth was -5.7% ✓, an F ✓.

Why this measure? (higher is better)

Growing sales is the engine of a business. Mature giants rarely grow fast, so 5% a year already earns a C.

A

Profitability

Operating margin, last 3 years combined
56.4% · peer median 22.7%
#1 of 5 in the peer group
A ≥ 30.0%B ≥ 20.0%C ≥ 10.0%D ≥ 5.0%F below 5.0%

Over the last three years combined, Micron kept 56.4% ✓ of sales as operating profit, an A ✓. That figure adds up all three years, so FY2026, with sales of $133.2bn ✓, counts far more than FY2024 at $25.1bn ✓ or FY2025 at $37.4bn ✓. So FY2026 sets most of the grade. The yearly margins range from a thin 5.2% ✓ in FY2024 to a huge 74.6% ✓ in FY2026. Sandisk, another memory maker, came to 30.8% ✓ over its own last three years combined, also an A ✓.

Why this measure? (higher is better)

Operating margin is the share of each sales dollar left after running the business. Software and platforms often clear 30%; hardware makers usually sit below 10%.

A

Cash generation

Free cash flow as a share of sales, last 3 years combined
31.0% · peer median 15.2%
#2 of 5 in the peer group
A ≥ 20.0%B ≥ 15.0%C ≥ 10.0%D ≥ 5.0%F below 5.0%

Over the last three years combined, Micron turned 31.0% ✓ of sales into free cash flow, an A ✓. FY2026 dominates this combined figure, because its sales were far bigger than in the two years before. That year's free cash flow alone was $59.0bn ✓. In FY2024, free cash flow was just $0.1bn ✓, because Micron keeps spending on new fabs. Sandisk ranks just ahead at 31.8% ✓.

Why this measure? (higher is better)

Free cash flow is the cash left after paying for factories, data centres and equipment. It funds dividends, buybacks and new bets.

A

Balance sheet

Net cash (cash and investments minus borrowings; leases and stakes in other companies not counted) as a share of a year's sales
51.3% · peer median -5.6%
#1 of 5 in the peer group
A ≥ 20.0%B ≥ 5.0%C ≥ -10.0%D ≥ -30.0%F below -30.0%

At the end of FY2026, Micron's cash and investments minus its borrowings equalled 51.3% ✓ of a year's sales, an A ✓. It held $73.5bn ✓ of cash and investments against $5.2bn ✓ of debt at the end of FY2026. Just two years earlier, it owed more than it held, with net cash of -$4.2bn ✓.

Why this measure? (higher is better)

More cash than debt gives a company room to ride out bad years. Some debt is normal; a lot of it makes a company fragile.

F

Steadiness

How much yearly sales growth swings (standard deviation, up to 10 years)
83.7% · peer median 23.6%
#4 of 5 in the peer group
A ≤ 5.0%B ≤ 8.0%C ≤ 12.0%D ≤ 18.0%F above 18.0%

Micron's yearly growth swings hugely, with a standard deviation of 83.7% ✓, which earns an F ✓. Growth was -49.5% ✓ in FY2023 and 256.3% ✓ in FY2026. Only Sandisk swings more, at 95.5% ✓.

Why this measure? (lower is better)

Steady growers are easier to plan around. Big swings mean sales depend on product cycles, the economy or one-off events.

🧑‍🏫 How the grades work
  1. Same scale for everyone. Each measure has fixed cut-offs (shown under each strip). Clear the A line and you get an A, whatever your peers do.
  2. Three years together. Profitability and cash generation add up the last three fiscal years before dividing, so one unusual year counts for less than it would on its own (a year much bigger than the others still weighs most).
  3. Peers for context. The rank shows how Micron compares with the group. Companies within 0.1 percentage point share a rank.
  4. Same source. Every company's figures come from its own latest annual report (10-K), so fiscal years end in different months.
  5. Judgement, openly stated. The cut-offs are QuantVantage.ai's view of what good looks like for a large, established company. They are not a forecast or a recommendation.

11 years at a glance

Revenue
$133.2bn
FY2026
Revenue by fiscal yearFY2016: $12.4bnFY2017: $20.3bnFY2018: $30.4bnFY2019: $23.4bnFY2020: $21.4bnFY2021: $27.7bnFY2022: $30.8bnFY2023: $15.5bnFY2024: $25.1bnFY2025: $37.4bnFY2026: $133.2bnFY2016FY2026
Operating margin
74.6%
FY2026
Operating marginFY2016FY2026
Free cash flow
$59.0bn
FY2026
Free cash flow by fiscal yearFY2016: -$2.6bnFY2017: $3.4bnFY2018: $8.5bnFY2019: $3.4bnFY2020: $0.1bnFY2021: $2.4bnFY2022: $3.1bnFY2023: -$6.1bnFY2024: $0.1bnFY2025: $1.7bnFY2026: $59.0bnFY2016FY2026
Net cash
$68.3bn
end of FY2026
Net cash by fiscal yearFY2016: -$5.1bnFY2017: -$5.1bnFY2018: $2.6bnFY2019: $3.3bnFY2020: $2.5bnFY2021: $3.6bnFY2022: $4.1bnFY2023: -$2.9bnFY2024: -$4.2bnFY2025: -$2.6bnFY2026: $68.3bnFY2016FY2026

Where the cash goes

Micron spends most of its cash on new factories, not on payouts. From FY2016 to FY2026 it made $73.0bn ✓ of free cash flow and handed back $10.8bn ✓ through buybacks and dividends. In FY2026, payouts were just 2% ✓ of free cash flow. In October 2026 the board raised its buyback limit to $35.16bn in total, for buybacks from 9 Dec 2026 22.

Free cash flow vs cash returned to shareholders$0bn$10bn$20bn$30bn$40bn$50bn$60bnFY2017 free cash flow $3.4bnFY2017 buybacks + dividends $0.0bnFY17FY2018 free cash flow $8.5bnFY2018 buybacks + dividends $0.1bnFY18FY2019 free cash flow $3.4bnFY2019 buybacks + dividends $2.7bnFY19FY2020 free cash flow $0.1bnFY2020 buybacks + dividends $0.2bnFY20FY2021 free cash flow $2.4bnFY2021 buybacks + dividends $1.2bnFY21FY2022 free cash flow $3.1bnFY2022 buybacks + dividends $2.9bnFY22FY2023 free cash flow -$6.1bnFY2023 buybacks + dividends $0.9bnFY23FY2024 free cash flow $0.1bnFY2024 buybacks + dividends $0.8bnFY24FY2025 free cash flow $1.7bnFY2025 buybacks + dividends $0.5bnFY25FY2026 free cash flow $59.0bnFY2026 buybacks + dividends $1.3bnFY26
Free cash flow vs cash returned to shareholders$0bn$10bn$20bn$30bn$40bn$50bn$60bnFY2021 free cash flow $2.4bnFY2021 buybacks + dividends $1.2bnFY21FY2022 free cash flow $3.1bnFY2022 buybacks + dividends $2.9bnFY22FY2023 free cash flow -$6.1bnFY2023 buybacks + dividends $0.9bnFY23FY2024 free cash flow $0.1bnFY2024 buybacks + dividends $0.8bnFY24FY2025 free cash flow $1.7bnFY2025 buybacks + dividends $0.5bnFY25FY2026 free cash flow $59.0bnFY2026 buybacks + dividends $1.3bnFY26
■ Free cash flow   ■ Buybacks + dividends. Source: Micron Technology, Inc. 10-K filings.

🧮Ratios 101: what are Micron's key financial ratios?

Ratios shrink Micron's numbers into easy comparisons. Remember that FY2026 sales of $133.2bn ✓ were far above the $15.5bn ✓ of FY2023, so most of these look far better than in a weak year. A ratio divides one number by another so companies of any size can be compared. Each card shows the formula with Micron's real FY2026 numbers, the peer median and the trend.

💰 Profitability: how much of each sale is kept?

Higher is better

Gross margin

80.7%
Gross profit$107.5bn$133.2bnSales=80.7%

What is left from each sale after paying to make the product or deliver the service.

👉 At 80.7% ✓, up from 20.2% ✓ in FY2016, Micron beats the 47.2% ✓ peer median, helped by soaring DRAM and NAND prices in FY2026 22.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 40% usually signals pricing power or a big software or services mix.

Peer median 47.2% (4 peers)FY2016 20.2%
Gross margin by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Higher is better

Operating margin

74.6%
Operating profit$99.3bn$133.2bnSales=74.6%

What is left after also paying for research, marketing and running the company.

👉 Micron's 74.6% ✓ is far above the 34.0% ✓ peer median, and above 1.4% ✓ in FY2016, a weak year.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 20% is strong for a large company.

Peer median 34.0% (4 peers)FY2016 1.4%
Operating margin by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Higher is better

Net margin

63.8%
Net income$85.0bn$133.2bnSales=63.8%

The bottom line: profit after interest and taxes, per dollar of sales.

👉 Micron kept 63.8% ✓ of sales as final profit in FY2026, against -2.2% ✓ in FY2016 and a 41.3% ✓ peer median.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 15% is strong; one-off tax items can move it in a single year.

Peer median 41.3% (4 peers)FY2016 -2.2%
Net margin by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
It depends

Return on equity (ROE)

61.4%
Net income$85.0bn$138.4bnShareholders' equity=61.4%

Profit earned for each dollar that shareholders have left in the company.

👉 ROE of 61.4% ✓ is below the 89.5% ✓ peer median. Western Digital, at 106.3% ✓, and Seagate, at 146.9% ✓, earn a lot next to their equity, while Micron holds $138.4bn ✓.

📏 Rule of thumb: Around 15% or more is good, but buybacks shrink equity and can make ROE look huge.

Peer median 89.5% (4 peers)FY2016 -2.3%
Return on equity (ROE) by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026

⚙️ Efficiency: how hard do the assets work?

Higher is better

Return on assets (ROA)

43.4%
Net income$85.0bn$195.9bnTotal assets=43.4%

Profit earned from everything the company owns, however it was paid for.

👉 ROA of 43.4% ✓, against -1.0% ✓ in FY2016, sits near the 41.4% ✓ peer median.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 10% is strong; banks and factories usually earn less.

Peer median 41.4% (4 peers)FY2016 -1.0%
Return on assets (ROA) by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Higher is better

Asset turnover

0.7x
Sales$133.2bn$195.9bnTotal assets=0.7x

Dollars of sales squeezed out of each dollar of assets.

👉 Micron's sales were 0.7x ✓ the value of what it owns, below the 0.9x ✓ peer median. It was 0.5x ✓ in FY2016.

📏 Rule of thumb: Retailers often top 2x; asset-heavy businesses can sit below 0.5x.

Peer median 0.9x (4 peers)FY2016 0.5x
Asset turnover by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Lower is better

Inventory days

147 days
Inventory$10.4bn$25.7bnCost of sales× 365=147 days

How many days of products sit in warehouses before they are sold.

👉 Micron holds 147 ✓ days of stock, more than the 105 ✓ peer median and the 107 ✓ days of FY2016. Days are counted against cost of sales, which at $25.7bn ✓ was low next to the high prices of FY2026.

📏 Rule of thumb: Fewer days means less cash tied up and less risk of products going stale.

Peer median 105 days (4 peers)FY2016 107 days
Inventory days by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026

🛟 Safety: could it survive a bad year?

It depends

Current ratio

3.3x
Current assets$91.1bn$27.5bnCurrent liabilities=3.3x

Can short-term assets (cash, money owed by customers, stock) pay the bills due within a year?

👉 Micron's 3.3x ✓ means short-term assets are far bigger than bills due within a year. That is above the 1.8x ✓ peer median and the 2.0x ✓ of FY2016.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 1.0x is the classic comfort line, but cash-rich giants can run below it on purpose.

Peer median 1.8x (4 peers)FY2016 2.0x
Current ratio by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Lower is better

Debt to equity

0.0x
Total debt$5.2bn$138.4bnShareholders' equity=0.0x

How much the company has borrowed for each dollar shareholders have in it.

👉 Debt is small next to equity, but not zero: $5.2bn ✓ against $138.4bn ✓ of equity, which rounds to 0.0x ✓. That is down from 0.8x ✓ in FY2016 and below the 0.3x ✓ peer median.

📏 Rule of thumb: Below 1.0x is conservative. Like ROE, it can rise when buybacks shrink equity, even if debt has not changed.

Peer median 0.3x (4 peers)FY2016 0.8x
Debt to equity by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Higher is better

Interest cover

937.2x
Operating profit$99.3bn$0.1bnInterest expense=937.2x

How many times over operating profit could pay the year's interest bill.

👉 Operating profit covered interest costs 937.2x ✓ in FY2026, against just 0.4x ✓ in FY2016 and a 20.7x ✓ peer median.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 5x is comfortable; below 2x is a warning sign.

Peer median 20.7x (4 peers)FY2016 0.4x
Interest cover by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026

💵 Cash and owners: where does the money end up?

Higher is better

Cash conversion

0.7x
Free cash flow$59.0bn$85.0bnNet income=0.7x

Does reported profit turn into real cash? Free cash flow is operating cash minus capital spending.

👉 Micron turned profit into free cash at 0.7x ✓, below the 1.0x ✓ peer median, because it spent $30.7bn ✓ on fabs and tools. It was also 0.7x ✓ in FY2017.

📏 Rule of thumb: Near or above 1.0x means profits are backed by cash.

Peer median 1.0x (3 peers)FY2017 0.7x
Cash conversion by fiscal yearFY2017FY2026
It depends

R&D intensity

4.2%
R&D$5.7bn$133.2bnSales=4.2%

How much of each sales dollar goes into inventing future products.

👉 R&D was 4.2% ✓ of sales, down from 13.0% ✓ in FY2016 and below the 7.8% ✓ peer median. That is because sales soared, not because R&D fell: it rose from $3.8bn ✓ in FY2025 to $5.7bn ✓ in FY2026.

📏 Rule of thumb: Tech companies often spend 10% to 20%; more is not always better if it does not pay off.

Peer median 7.8% (4 peers)FY2016 13.0%
R&D intensity by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
Lower is better

Stock pay

1.0%
Share-based pay$1.3bn$133.2bnSales=1.0%

Pay given to staff in shares instead of cash. It is a real cost to owners because it adds shares.

👉 Stock pay was 1.0% ✓ of sales, below the 1.7% ✓ peer median and the 1.5% ✓ of FY2016.

📏 Rule of thumb: Under 5% of sales is modest for a tech company.

Peer median 1.7% (4 peers)FY2016 1.5%
Stock pay by fiscal yearFY2016FY2026
It depends

Shareholder payout

1.5%
Dividends + buybacks$1.3bn$85.0bnNet income=1.5%

How much of the year's profit was handed back to owners.

👉 Micron returned just 1.5% ✓ of FY2026 profit, against a 29.4% ✓ peer median, while it spent $30.7bn ✓ on fabs and tools.

📏 Rule of thumb: Above 100% means it returned more than it earned, using cash savings or debt.

Peer median 29.4% (3 peers)FY2017 0.7%
Shareholder payout by fiscal yearFY2017FY2026

Ratios use fiscal-year-end balance sheet values. Inputs are shown rounded, so dividing them can differ from the result in the last digit. A peer median leaves out peers that do not report the inputs, or where the ratio means nothing (for example, negative shareholders' equity). Rules of thumb are general guides from QuantVantage.ai, not hard limits. No share-price ratios (like price-to-earnings) are shown on this page.

🥊Who are Micron's competitors?

Micron's 10-K names Samsung, SK hynix, Kioxia, Sandisk, CXMT and YMTC as its rivals in memory and storage 1. The chart shows only companies that file annual reports with the SEC, so most of those rivals are not in it. The filers shown either compete with Micron in flash and data-center storage, or have worked with it, like Intel 91011 1213 1415 1617.

Peer map: growth vs profitability, bubble size = revenue-5%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%80%85%90%95%100%105%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%Sales growth per year, 3 years →Operating margin →Micron: revenue $133.2bn, growth 104.6%/yr, operating margin 74.6%MUIntel: revenue $52.9bn, growth -5.7%/yr, operating margin -4.2%INTCSandisk: revenue $20.2bn, growth 49.3%/yr, operating margin 61.2%SNDKWestern Digital: revenue $12.9bn, growth 27.4%/yr, operating margin 34.5%WDCSeagate: revenue $12.2bn, growth 18.2%/yr, operating margin 33.6%STX
Peer map: growth vs profitability, bubble size = revenue-5%0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%80%85%90%95%100%105%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%Sales growth per year, 3 years →Operating margin →Micron: revenue $133.2bn, growth 104.6%/yr, operating margin 74.6%MUIntel: revenue $52.9bn, growth -5.7%/yr, operating margin -4.2%INTCSandisk: revenue $20.2bn, growth 49.3%/yr, operating margin 61.2%SNDKWestern Digital: revenue $12.9bn, growth 27.4%/yr, operating margin 34.5%WDCSeagate: revenue $12.2bn, growth 18.2%/yr, operating margin 33.6%STX
Peer map from each company's latest 10-K. Bubble size = revenue. Source: SEC filings [5] [7] [18] [19] [6].
CompanyWhere they competeRevenueGrowth/yr (3y)Op. marginFCF margin
Micron (MU, FY2026)DRAM, HBM, NAND flash and NOR chips 1 1 1 1$133.2bn104.6%74.6%44.3%
Sandisk (SNDK, FY2026)NAND flash and SSDs; Sandisk and Micron each name the other as a competitor 91011$20.2bn49.3%61.2%56.8%
Western Digital (WDC, FY2026)Data-center storage, where its hard drives meet Micron's high-capacity SSDs 1213$12.9bn27.4%34.5%27.2%
Seagate (STX, FY2026)Storage: SSDs keep replacing smaller hard drives in PCs, but in data centers the two mostly work side by side 1415$12.2bn18.2%33.6%25.5%
Intel (INTC, FY2025)More past partner than rival: the two ran a flash joint venture from 2005, and Intel later sold its NAND business 1617$52.9bn-5.7%-4.2%-9.4%

Outside the chart, Micron names Samsung, SK hynix, Kioxia, CXMT and YMTC as rivals 1. A 2026 lawsuit claims that Micron, Samsung and SK hynix fixed DRAM prices 21. Micron also warns that heavy spending by China's state-linked CXMT and YMTC could cause too much supply 20.

🧭Micron SWOT: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

💪 Strengths

  • Micron makes its chips in its own plants across Asia and the US, which generally run around the clock 1.
  • It was the industry's first to ship 1-gamma DRAM, and in the fourth quarter of FY2026 most of the DRAM bits it made used it 1.
  • Net cash reached $68.3bn ✓ at the end of FY2026, a big cushion for the next downturn.
  • New multi-year deals brought in $12.75bn of customer deposits in FY2026, which it must mostly pay back in 2029-2031 21. The deals fix minimum volumes, and most keep prices between a floor and a ceiling 21.

🩹 Weaknesses

  • Results swing with memory prices, which over five years rose as much as about 200% and fell as much as about 50% in a year 20.
  • Steadiness earns an F ✓, because yearly growth swings so much.
  • Building fabs costs a lot: Micron spent $30.7bn ✓ on plants and tools in FY2026.
  • Its top ten customers buy about half of everything it sells 1.
  • Since May 2023, China has barred operators of key infrastructure from buying Micron products 20.

🚀 Opportunities

  • Sales of Micron's low-power server memory more than doubled from one quarter to the next late in FY2026 3.
  • HBM4 is in volume production 1, and HBM4E, with custom options, is due to ramp in 2027 1 1.
  • Micron expects new plants in Idaho and Taiwan, plus HBM packaging in Singapore, to add capacity from 2027 22 22 22. It expects its first New York fab to start output in 2030 22.
  • US CHIPS Act grants of up to $6.4bn help pay for Micron's US plants 22.

⚠️ Threats

  • If HBM demand weakens and makers switch factories back to ordinary DRAM, DRAM supply could jump 20.
  • Chinese state-linked rivals CXMT and YMTC could add to oversupply 20.
  • A German court barred some Micron NAND products there in October 2026, and Micron has appealed 21.
  • Lawsuits filed in 2026 claim that Micron, Samsung and SK hynix fixed DRAM prices 21.

🏰Does Micron have a moat?

Narrow moatMicron is one of a few firms that can make leading-edge memory at scale, but big rivals match its scale and prices swing with the memory cycle.
Brand 2/5
Why 2?

Micron's prices have swung from a rise of about 200% to a fall of about 50% in a single year 20. A strong brand would not let prices fall that far. Micron also said it would quit selling to shoppers, shipping its last Crucial products by February 2026 4. Its distributors sell rivals' chips too 1.

Switching costs 3/5
Why 3?

New chips must prove themselves well before a customer starts production, and missing that schedule can cost Micron the slot 20. Custom HBM4E options deepen its work with customers 1, and multi-year take-or-pay deals tie some buyers in 21. But its distributors also carry rivals' products 1.

Network effects 1/5
Why 1?

One more buyer does not make Micron's chips better for anyone else. Its customers are cloud firms, server makers and device makers that simply buy chips 1, and several rivals sell similar memory 1.

Cost advantages and scale 3/5
Why 3?

Micron makes its chips in its own plants on 300mm wafers, running around the clock 1, and it was first to ship the 1-gamma DRAM node 1. But Samsung, SK hynix and others make memory too 1, and Micron warns some rivals may have lower costs and more resources 20. In past slumps, its prices even fell below its cost to make chips 20.

Intangibles (patents, licences, regulation) 3/5
Why 3?

Micron has been granted over 62,000 patents, some lasting to 2045 1. Governments help too, with up to $6.4bn of US CHIPS Act grants 22 and Japanese support for its Hiroshima plant 21. But Micron also pays for others' patents: it booked $500m of patent licence charges in FY2026 21. A German court barred some of its NAND products 21, and China bars key infrastructure operators from buying its chips 20.

A moat is what keeps rivals from taking a company's customers and profits. Scores are QuantVantage.ai's judgement (5 = strongest), set with the same rubric on every explainer (orange is Micron; grey dots are peers).

🔭What should you watch next?

Date not yet announced

Q1 FY2027 results

Micron had not announced the results date by 29 Oct 2026, and it expects about $61.5bn of sales for the quarter 3. Figures on this page run to FY2026, which ended 3 Sep 2026 1.

9 Dec 2026

Buyback window opens

The board raised its buyback limit to $35.16bn in total, for buybacks made from this date 22.

Ongoing

Memory prices

Micron warns that if makers switch factories from HBM back to ordinary DRAM, supply could jump 20. Most of its multi-year deals keep prices between a floor and a ceiling 21.

Early 2027

More HBM packaging in Singapore

A new HBM packaging plant in Singapore is expected to add capacity 22.

Mid-2027

New fab output

First DRAM wafers from the new Boise fab, and meaningful shipments from the Tongluo site in Taiwan, are expected 22 22.

Calendar 2027

HBM4E ramp

The next generation of AI memory, built on Micron's 1-gamma process, is due to ramp in volume 1.

Ongoing; Munich hearings June and Sept 2027

Lawsuits

DRAM price-fixing class actions in California and Hawaii are still open 21. More hearings on YMTC's claims against Micron's NAND are set in Munich for June and September 2027 21.

Calendar 2030

First New York fab

Micron broke ground in Clay, New York, in January 2026 and expects first wafer output in 2030 22.

📚Learn the words

DRAMFast working memory that a computer uses for whatever it is doing right now. It forgets everything when the power goes off.
NAND flashStorage chips that keep data with the power off. They sit inside SSD drives, phones and memory cards.
HBMHigh-bandwidth memory: a tall stack of DRAM chips placed right next to an AI processor so data moves very fast.
Memory cycleThe repeating boom and bust in memory chips. Short supply sends prices up, makers build more, and too much supply sends prices down.
FabShort for fabrication plant: a giant, ultra-clean factory where chips are made on silicon wafers.
Revenue (sales)All the money a company takes in from customers before paying any costs.
Gross marginThe share of each sales dollar left after paying to make the product. It can even go below zero when prices fall below cost.
Operating profitProfit from the main business after paying for products, research, marketing and admin, but before interest and tax.
Free cash flowThe cash a business has left after running itself and buying equipment. It can be used for dividends, buybacks or saving.
Capital spendingMoney spent on long-lasting things such as factories and machines. Chipmakers spend a lot of it.
Fiscal yearA company's own accounting year. Micron's ends near the end of August, and FY2026 had 53 weeks instead of the usual 52 1.
Economic moatA lasting advantage, like a strong brand or high switching costs, that keeps rivals from taking a company's customers.
RatioOne number divided by another, such as profit divided by sales. Ratios let you compare companies of very different sizes.

❓Frequently asked questions about Micron

What does Micron make?

Micron makes memory and storage chips. DRAM, including HBM for AI, brought in $100.7bn ✓ in FY2026, and NAND flash storage brought in $31.8bn ✓. A small line of NOR chips makes up most of the rest 1.

What is HBM?

HBM, or high-bandwidth memory, is a kind of DRAM that Micron sells for AI 1. Its newest version, HBM4, went into volume production in FY2026 1. HBM needs more wafers and factory space than normal DRAM to make the same amount of memory 20.

Why did Micron's sales jump so much in FY2026?

Mostly because memory prices soared: sales rose 256.3% ✓, while DRAM prices rose about 180% and NAND prices about 200% 22. The amount of memory shipped rose only by the mid-20s percent 22.

Can Micron's sales stay this high?

Nobody knows, and Micron itself warns that heavy Chinese spending on memory plants could cause too much supply 20. Most of its multi-year deals keep prices between a floor and a ceiling 21. In the last slump, sales fell to $15.5bn ✓ in FY2023.

Does Micron still sell Crucial RAM and SSDs?

No. Micron said it would stop shipping Crucial products after February 2026, to save supply for its bigger customers 4. It still honours Crucial warranties 4.

Who are Micron's biggest rivals?

Micron's 10-K names Samsung, SK hynix, Kioxia, Sandisk, CXMT and YMTC as its competitors in memory and storage 1.

Is Micron an American company?

Yes, Micron is based in Boise, Idaho 1, where it started in 1978 16. It makes chips in its own plants in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, the US and other countries 1. It is building new fabs in Idaho and New York 22 22.

Who runs Micron?

Sanjay Mehrotra is Micron's Chairman and CEO, and has led it since 2017 123. Before that, he co-founded SanDisk in 1988 1. In August 2026 Micron named Manish Bhatia and Scott DeBoer as presidents under him 23.

🎮Play: higher or lower, then test yourself

Higher or lower · round 1 of 6

Figures come from each company's latest annual report (10-K); fiscal years end in different months. Sources: [5] [7] [18] [19] [6].

Score: 0

🧠 Test yourself

5 quick questions. Score: 0 / 5

1. Which kind of chip brought Micron the most money in FY2026?

DRAM made up 76% ✓ of Micron's sales in FY2026.

2. What mainly drove Micron's record sales in FY2026?

DRAM prices rose about 180%, while the amount of memory shipped rose only by the mid-20s percent 22.

3. What happened to Micron in FY2023?

In a memory slump, sales fell to $15.5bn ✓ and net income was -$5.8bn ✓.

4. Where did Micron start in 1978?

Micron began as a four-person firm in the basement of a Boise dental office 16.

5. Why does Micron count most of its sales as coming from the US?

Micron counts sales by customer head office, which put 69% ✓ in the US in FY2026 2021.

🔎Sources and method

Every figure comes from a source listed here or is calculated from those sources (marked ✓). Company financials are taken from SEC filings (10-K and 10-Q) as tagged in XBRL. Peer grades rank the same measures across the company and its peers. This page contains no share-price data and no valuation.

  1. Micron Technology Form 10-K FY2026 (year ended 2026-09-03), filed 2026-10-09: Part I, Business and executive officers — HQ, fiscal year, employees, manufacturing sites, products (DRAM, HBM, NAND, NOR), 1-gamma node, business units, customers, sales channels, competitors, patents, executive officers, Micron Research Labs (accessed 2026-10-29)
  2. Micron (MU) Form 10-K for fiscal year 2026, filed 2026-10-09 — revenue and cost of sales by product, segment and geography (accessed 2026-10-28)
  3. Micron 8-K Exhibit 99.1, Q4 and full-year FY2026 results release, filed 2026-09-30 — Q1 FY2027 revenue and gross margin outlook; Q4 FY2026 product highlights (accessed 2026-10-29)
  4. Micron press release: Micron Announces Exit from Crucial Consumer Business, 2025-12-03 — Exit from Crucial consumer business; shipments until end of fiscal Q2 (February 2026); reason; warranty support continues (accessed 2026-10-29)
  5. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: Micron (MU) — annual 10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)
  6. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: INTEL CORP (INTC) — annual 10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)
  7. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: Sandisk Corp (SNDK) — annual 10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)
  8. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: Micron (MU) — balance sheet at 2026-09-03 (accessed 2026-10-28)
  9. Sandisk 10-K for fiscal 2026 (Item 1, Competition and Patents) — Named competitors; about 8,000 granted patents and 3,000 pending applications (accessed 2026-10-29)
  10. Micron Technology 10-K for fiscal 2026 — Micron's named competitors (includes Sandisk); DRAM, NAND and SSD products; Crucial exit; CEO biography (accessed 2026-10-29)
  11. Sandisk 8-K, March 25, 2026 (Nanya investment and DRAM supply) — About $1.0 billion equity investment in Nanya Technology; multi-year DRAM supply arrangement (accessed 2026-10-29)
  12. Western Digital Corporation Form 10-K FY2026 (FYE 2026-07-03), filed 2026-08-14 — Item 1 Competition, Sales, Warranty, Human Capital: competitors Seagate, Toshiba and NAND flash suppliers; sells to hyperscale cloud providers, neoclouds, OEMs, resellers, distributors and retailers, with long-term agreements with some customers; international sales 60% of FY2026 revenue; three customers at 16%, 15% and 13% of FY2026 revenue; sales depend on large Cloud customers' buying patterns; warranty up to five years; about 40,000 employees in 24 countries, about 88% in Asia Pacific (accessed 2026-10-29)
  13. Micron Technology Form 10-K FY2026 (FYE 2026-09-03), filed 2026-10-09 — Item 1 Business: Core Data Center Business Unit sells data-center SSDs and NAND; began shipping the 245TB 6600 ION SSD built with QLC NAND in FY2026; SSDs offer faster speeds and lower power than hard disk drives (accessed 2026-10-29)
  14. Seagate Technology Holdings plc Form 10-K, fiscal 2026 (Item 1A, Risk Factors) — Competition from SSDs, customer concentration (14% / 10%), HAMR transition risk, limited suppliers (accessed 2026-10-29)
  15. Micron Technology Form 10-K, fiscal 2026 (Item 1, Business) — Micron data center SSDs built on its NAND (accessed 2026-10-29)
  16. Micron: Company timeline — Founding in 1978, first 64K DRAM, 1984 Nasdaq listing, IM Flash venture with Intel (2005), 3D XPoint with Intel (2015) (accessed 2026-10-29)
  17. Intel Corporation Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 2026-06-27, filed 2026-07-24 — Sale of Intel's NAND business to SK hynix (phases closed 2021-12-29 and 2025-03-27); industry-wide substrate and memory shortages (accessed 2026-10-29)
  18. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: WESTERN DIGITAL CORP (WDC) — annual 10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)
  19. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: Seagate Technology Holdings plc (STX) — annual 10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)
  20. Micron Technology Form 10-K FY2026, filed 2026-10-09: Item 1A, Risk Factors — Price swings over five years, prices below cost, rivals' resources, customer design schedules, HBM wafer intensity, China CAC decision, China-backed rivals, revenue by customer headquarters (accessed 2026-10-29)
  21. Micron Technology Form 10-K FY2026, filed 2026-10-09: Item 8, Notes to the financial statements — Customer concentration, revenue by customer headquarters (Note 22), strategic customer agreements, customer deposits, remaining performance obligations, Japan incentives, patent licence charges, litigation (Netlist, YMTC, DRAM antitrust) (accessed 2026-10-29)
  22. Micron Technology Form 10-K FY2026, filed 2026-10-09: Item 7, Management's Discussion and Analysis — FY2026 sales drivers (prices and bits), new fabs and timing (Idaho, New York, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore), CHIPS Act grants and tax credit, share repurchase authorization (accessed 2026-10-29)
  23. Micron 8-K Exhibit 99.1, leadership appointments, 2026-08-26 — Manish Bhatia named President and COO; Scott DeBoer named President and Chief Technology and Products Officer; Sumit Sadana to Senior Advisor to the CEO (accessed 2026-10-29)
  24. SEC EDGAR companyfacts: Micron (MU) — quarterly 10-Q/10-K facts (accessed 2026-10-28)