HP Inc's stock experienced a sharp decline of 5.05% during intraday trading on Thursday. The drop reflects heightened investor concerns regarding the company's near-term operational outlook.

The sell-off follows reports that HP, along with other major PC manufacturers, is actively seeking alternative memory chip suppliers from China. This move is a direct response to a severe global shortage of memory chips, which has been exacerbated by booming demand from AI data center construction. The shortage is driving procurement costs significantly higher and threatening to disrupt product launch schedules and profit margins.

Industry analysis indicates that leading memory chipmakers are prioritizing production for high-margin AI server components, severely squeezing the supply available for consumer electronics like PCs. With contract prices for critical components like PC DRAM预计 to double in the first quarter of 2026, investors are worried about the phenomenon of "memory吞噬ing consumer electronics profits," which could pressure HP's financial performance.