Overview
Samsung Electronics (KS:005930) announced record quarterly revenue and operating profit for the July‑September quarter, driven primarily by soaring demand for artificial‑intelligence (AI) infrastructure.
Financial Performance
The company reported operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (approximately US$80.5 billion), representing a 783 % increase year‑on‑year (YoY) and a 20 % rise quarter‑on‑quarter (QoQ). Revenue climbed 127 % YoY to 195.3 trillion won. Net profit surged to 75.1 trillion won from 12.2 trillion won a year earlier. Samsung became the first global technology firm to exceed 100 trillion won in quarterly operating profit.
Semiconductor & Memory Business
The semiconductor division contributed 106.5 trillion won, accounting for nearly the entire operating profit. Memory sales rose 427 % YoY to 140.7 trillion won, propelled by strong sales of high‑bandwidth memory (HBM4) and server solid‑state drives (SSDs). The company highlighted that AI‑driven infrastructure investment is underpinning this demand, with particular emphasis on products for new central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) platforms. Demand for high‑density quad‑level cell SSDs is also increasing as personal AI agent services expand.
Mobile Business
Samsung’s mobile segment benefited from the launch of new flagship devices, including foldable smartphones. However, the device‑experience division remained loss‑making at the operating level due to cost pressures.
Outlook
For the fourth quarter of 2026, Samsung expects AI infrastructure investment to continue supporting memory demand. Looking ahead to 2027, the company anticipates accelerated AI investment and tighter memory supply relative to 2026, pledging to prioritize high‑end products and pursue long‑term contracts.