SanDisk lagged during the sector rally because crowded positions often face profit-taking first, especially as downstream buyers push back on 15%+ AI server price hikes driven by high memory costs. While pure-play HBM leaders like SK Hynix and Micron command institutional favor due to immediate data center demand, SanDisk remains tied to broader NAND storage cycles where capex hurdles are tightening. The prudent play isn't chasing the initial pop in Micron or Hynix, but rather waiting for Nvidia’s gross margin guidance to confirm whether hyperscalers can smoothly absorb these rising memory costs without squeezing semiconductor margins across the entire supply chain.