Key Points
Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) has been a great stock to own for the first half of 2026. It has risen around 240%, easily ranking it among the best-performing stocks in the market. After a run-up like that, before taking a position in the stock, investors must ask themselves what catalyst will sustain the stock’s incredible momentum.
Well, Micron’s management team delivered that news to shareholders a few weeks ago during its earnings announcement, and it could easily propel Micron to new heights.
The memory chip crunch isn’t going to wane anytime soon
Micron makes memory chips, which are vital for nearly all computing devices. It makes both NAND and DRAM memory, which have different use cases. Both are heavily used in data centers, and Micron and its peers in the memory chip industry weren’t ready for the surge in demand. As a result of spiking demand and limited supply, prices have risen. Consumers have felt this with rising PC prices and potentially rising phone prices. While consumers may be feeling the squeeze, Micron isn’t, as it’s a major beneficiary.
Its revenue has soared alongside chip prices. In the second quarter of Micron’s fiscal year 2026 (ending Feb. 26), Micron generated $23.9 billion in revenue and gave a bold projection that its Q3 revenue would be around $33.5 billion. For Q3 (ending May 28), Micron blew well beyond that projection, delivering $41.5 billion in revenue. For Q4, Micron dropped the bombshell that it expects a whopping $50 billion in revenue. That’s a major spike in just a handful of quarters, and it’s the driving force behind Micron’s rise.
But here’s the thing: Micron’s stock still isn’t all that expensive.
MU PE Ratio (Forward) data by YCharts
At 14 times forward earnings, Micron still trades at a discount to its peers because the market worries that memory demand will drop in the near future and that all of its gains will go with it. While that’s a valid concern, Micron’s management informed investors that it expects a “tight” memory market through at least 2027. As for now, the memory chip crunch remains active, and Micron will thrive in it.
Despite its massive gains already, I think investors are OK taking a position in the stock right now, as long as they can monitor the AI situation closely to see whether memory chip supply remains tight. If it is, Micron is an excellent stock to buy and hold. If there are signs of relief, then it’s time to get out.
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Keithen Drury has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Micron Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
