Samsung posted an all-time quarterly operating profit of KRW 107.4 trillion (approximately $80.5 billion) for the third quarter of 2026, a 783.1 percent increase year-over-year and the first time any technology company has crossed KRW 100 trillion in operating profit in a single quarter4. Revenue reached KRW 195.3 trillion (approximately $146 billion), marking the company's fourth consecutive quarter of record profit and revenue5.
The semiconductor division accounted for nearly all of the gain, posting KRW 106.5 trillion in operating profit — 99.1 percent of the company total. Samsung said it expanded sales of sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory chips, HBM4, and responded to AI server demand, setting a quarterly performance record for the second consecutive quarter. The company was the first in the industry to begin mass production and shipments of HBM4 chips. Key AI customers include AMD and Nvidia Corp., with sales of server SSDs also contributing2.
Capex and supply commitments
Samsung plans to increase capital expenditure by more than 60 percent this year to approximately $63 billion1. The company's HBM capacity is sold out through 2027, and it has secured 10 long-term supply deals with key customers. Samsung said it expects demand for AI-related chips to accelerate through 2027, outpacing supply as clients race to expand AI infrastructure.
Wider competitive context
The results arrived a day after domestic rival SK Hynix also reported record third-quarter profit. The two South Korean semiconductor companies together control about two-thirds of the global memory market. Samsung said it will focus on supplying advanced memory chips and storage products used in AI servers, including high-bandwidth memory chips, server DRAMs, and solid-state drives.
Net profit for the July-September period came to KRW 75.13 trillion ($56.2 billion), up 514.6 percent from KRW 12.22 trillion a year earlier. In Q3 2025, Samsung earned KRW 86.1 trillion in revenue and KRW 12.2 trillion in operating profit, meaning revenue more than doubled year-over-year3.
Samsung's smartphone and home appliance businesses posted losses during the quarter. The company expects growth from future Galaxy launches.
ANALYSIS The semiconductor division generating 99.1 percent of total operating profit underscores how thoroughly AI-driven memory demand has reshaped Samsung's earnings profile, with its consumer electronics businesses now operating at a loss.