Samsung Electronics on Thursday announced that its operating profit for the July‑September quarter would exceed 100 trillion won, a first for any technology company. The forecasted 107.4 trillion won (about $80.2 billion) represents a nearly nine‑fold jump from the previous quarter, according to the company’s own estimates.
The surge is attributed to a deepening global shortage of memory chips and a sharp rise in prices as investment in AI infrastructure outpaces supply growth. Samsung’s memory division, the world’s largest producer of DRAM and NAND, is expected to account for the bulk of the earnings improvement.
While the company’s shares slipped 0.2% in early trade, the news underscored the sustained profitability of the memory business. Analysts noted that the sharp appreciation of the South Korean won could temper future earnings, as dollar‑denominated overseas sales convert to fewer local currency units.
Samsung’s forecast marks the fourth consecutive quarter of record operating profit, following a 20% sequential rise in the third quarter. The company expects the fourth‑quarter profit to grow 8.2% from the third quarter, as chip price growth moderates.
Investors will also be watching Samsung’s shareholder return policy during the earnings call scheduled for October 29, when the company will release detailed results by business division.
