Samsung Forecasts Record $80 Billion Profit as AI Memory Boom Drives Chip Demand
SEOUL, South Korea, October 8, 2026, ZEX PR WIRE — Samsung Electronics forecast a nearly ninefold increase in third quarter operating profit, with surging demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure pushing the South Korean technology giant toward a record quarterly result.
Samsung estimated operating profit of 107.4 trillion won, or about $80.2 billion, for the July through September quarter, up from 12.17 trillion won a year earlier. The forecast also came slightly above the 106.1 trillion won LSEG SmartEstimate. Revenue is expected to rise 127% year over year to approximately 195 trillion won.
AI demand lifts memory business
Memory chips are expected to account for most of Samsung’s earnings improvement as demand for both conventional DRAM and high bandwidth memory continues to increase.
HBM chips are particularly important for AI data centers because they allow processors to access large amounts of data at high speeds. Samsung has been expanding HBM production as it works to narrow the gap with SK Hynix, the current market leader in the segment. Analysts estimate Samsung’s HBM shipments increased substantially during the third quarter.
The broader memory market is also benefiting from limited supply. Analysts expect conventional DRAM prices to rise another 10% to 15% in the fourth quarter, although that would represent a significant slowdown from the roughly 60% increase recorded during the second quarter.
Investors question how long the boom can last
Despite Samsung’s record forecast, the company’s shares have not responded with a comparable surge. The stock slipped in early trading as investors focused on whether the current earnings growth can continue once memory price increases begin to moderate. Samsung shares remain more than 25% below their June record high, despite having more than doubled during 2026.
The company’s other businesses are also facing challenges. Samsung’s mobile division is expected to report a loss of more than $1 billion, while its contract chipmaking operation remains under pressure from fixed costs and relatively low utilization. A stronger South Korean won is another headwind because it reduces the value of overseas earnings when converted into local currency.
Samsung’s detailed third quarter results are scheduled for October 29. Investors will be watching management’s outlook for HBM demand, memory pricing, semiconductor capacity and capital expenditure as they assess whether the AI driven earnings cycle can remain strong into 2027.
For the broader technology sector, Samsung’s forecast provides another powerful indication that AI infrastructure spending is translating into real demand for semiconductors. At the same time, the muted market reaction shows that investors are increasingly focused not just on record profits, but on how sustainable the AI driven memory cycle will be.
