Samsung Electronics reported its strongest-ever quarterly results, powered by a relentless rise in demand for AI-related memory chips. The company posted 195.3 trillion won in revenue and 107.4 trillion won in operating profit for the July-September quarter, up 126.9% and 783.1% year-on-year, respectively.
Operating profit exceeded 100 trillion won for the first time for any global technology company. It also marked Samsung’s fourth consecutive record quarter, underlining the strength of the AI-driven memory cycle. Samsung shares fell about 4.6% in early trade, as investors looked past the headline profit and focused on the company’s cautious shareholder-return guidance.
Samsung said the AI boom would sustain strong memory demand through the fourth quarter. It expects the global chip shortage to deepen in 2027 since AI infrastructure investment continues to outpace the industry’s ability to add supply.
The company’s high-bandwidth memory (HBM) business remains central to this growth. Samsung said its HBM4 sales more than tripled in the quarter, while its 2027 HBM supply has already sold out.
Server SSD demand has also risen sharply as data-centre operators expand AI computing capacity. Samsung said it will prioritise AI-linked products within its constrained memory capacity.
Samsung reaffirmed its 2026 shareholder-return plan of 90 trillion won to 110 trillion won. It estimates that 55 trillion won to 75 trillion won remains available after accounting for dividends and buybacks already completed or committed.
That delay disappointed a market that had expected Samsung to share more of its windfall. The stock reaction showed that record earnings alone are no longer enough to satisfy investors in an AI supercycle.
The company’s ability to scale HBM4 output, defend market share against rivals, and convert AI demand into durable margins will shape its next phase. Through January, investors will monitor Samsung’s capital expenditure plans and further signals about shareholder returns.
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