Prime Highlight
- Samsung Electronics expects operating profit of around 20 trillion wonin Q4 2025, nearly triple last year’s level.
- The surge is driven by soaring memory chip prices, fueled by strong AI server and data center demand.
Key Facts
- Samsung projected quarterly sales of about 93 trillion won, with profit set to exceed its previous record from 2018.
- Memory prices rose an estimated 40%–50% in Q4 2025, and are expected to keep climbing into 2026, according to Counterpoint Research.
Background
Samsung Electronics has forecast a sharp rise in profits for the final quarter of 2025, driven by a strong surge in memory chip prices amid booming demand linked to artificial intelligence. The South Korean technology giant said it expects operating profit to reach around 20 trillion won, nearly three times higher than a year earlier.
In its earnings guidance released on Thursday, Samsung also estimated consolidated sales of about 93 trillion won for the quarter. If confirmed, the operating profit figure would mark the highest quarterly profit in the company’s history, surpassing the previous record of 17.6 trillion won set in the third quarter of 2018.
The company’s profits rose because global demand for memory chips used in AI servers and data centers keeps growing. Chipmakers like Nvidia now compete for a limited supply of advanced memory chips, which pushes prices higher across the market. As manufacturers focus production on these high-margin products, shortages have spread to memory used in personal computers and smartphones.
Market research firm Counterpoint Research said the memory sector has entered what it described as a “hyper-bull” phase. According to the firm, memory prices increased by an estimated 40% to 50% during the fourth quarter of 2025. Counterpoint expects similar price gains in the first quarter of 2026, followed by a further rise of about 20% in the second quarter.
Rising memory prices have increased costs for consumer electronics makers, but they have benefited major suppliers such as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Samsung’s shares have gained more than 145% over the past year and edged up 0.5% on Thursday despite volatile trading.
Even with strong results, Samsung still trails SK Hynix in high-bandwidth memory chips, which AI processors need. The company plans to focus on expanding production of these chips in the coming months.
Samsung is scheduled to release its audited earnings and hold its quarterly earnings call later this month.
