SanDisk (SNDK) Stock Soars to Record High Before Retreat — Is This a Buying Opportunity?
SanDisk shares peaked at a 52-week high of $1,600 during trading on May 11, ultimately settling at $1,547.56. The semiconductor manufacturer had posted an impressive 552% year-to-date return entering Mondays session, establishing itself as the top performer within the S&P 500 index. However, Tuesday brought a different narrative. SNDK plummeted approximately 8% during early May 12 trading, reaching an intraday bottom of $1,402.27. The catalyst was a Facebook post from Kim Yong-beom, South Koreas presidential chief of staff, suggesting the country implement a specialized tax on AI companies to support a “national dividend” program. The proposal remains unofficial and lacks formal policy backing. Critics within South Korea have already condemned the concept as “dangerous and irresponsible.” Nevertheless, in an environment where SNDK commands elevated valuations following a 552% surge, the announcement provided sufficient reason for investors to lock in profits. The broader storage industry experienced similar pressure. Micron and Western Digital both declined more than 3%, while Seagate dropped over 1%. Major indices also retreated, with the S&P 500 falling 0.87%, the Dow sliding 0.56%, and the Nasdaq declining 1.51%. Core Business Performance Remains Strong Tuesday‘s selloff didn’t alter the fundamental narrative. SanDisks datacenter segment posted a remarkable 233% sequential revenue increase in Q3 fiscal 2026