Micron's booming memory-chip profits have left investors well-fed over the past year but more suitors are coming forward for a piece of the pie.
The company's workers in Taiwan are moving toward strike action unless Micron agrees to a profit-sharing agreement comparable to its rivals SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, according to reports from Reuters and local Taiwanese media.
Micron didn't immediately respond to a request for comment early Tuesday. Its shares were down 2.4% in Tuesday's premarket.
Although it's an American company and proud of its Idaho headquarters, much of Micron's manufacturing actually happens in Taiwan. A strike could have a significant effect on its operations, although such action would have to be preceded by mediation under Taiwanese law.
Recent history suggests the company is likely to have to make some concessions. Samsung averted a strike in South Korea in May by promising a new bonus pool for employees in the semiconductor division, equivalent to 10.5% of the division's operating profit, to be paid in stock. SK Hynix is still negotiating with its own unions, having previously promised to allocate 10% of its annual operating profit to employee bonuses last year.
Obviously this is all part of a negotiation. Micron's Taiwanese union would like to scrap the existing incentive scheme and replace it with a plan allocating 15% of operating profit to bonuses from fiscal 2027, according to Reuters. Micron said this year's performance-bonus is already set to be the highest in the company's history.
There shouldn't be any immediate shock to Micron stock, with plenty to be negotiated on amounts, conditions, the manner of payment, etc. But labor demands come on top of other big spending commitments such as Micron's promised $250 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing through 2035.
Micron is making a lot of money but it won't be able to keep it all for itself.
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