Samsung is heading toward what could be its strongest financial quarter yet, with projections pointing to record-breaking performance in early 2026. The company expects operating profit to cross $38 billion, or KRW 57.2 trillion, which would mark a new high in its earnings history. If achieved, this figure would represent a 753% jump compared to the same period last year. It would also exceed Samsung’s total operating profit for all of 2025, highlighting a sharp turnaround in its business momentum.
The company’s latest outlook reflects a broad improvement in its financial performance across key segments. Samsung is forecasting sales of KRW 133 trillion for the first quarter of 2026. This compares with KRW 93.84 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025.
It also stands well above KRW 79.14 trillion recorded in the first quarter of 2025. At the same time, operating profit is expected to reach KRW 57.2 trillion. This is a significant rise from KRW 20.07 trillion in the previous quarter. It is also far higher than KRW 6.69 trillion reported a year earlier.
Semiconductor demand fuels Samsung’s surge
Much of this growth is being powered by Samsung’s semiconductor business. In particular, the company has strengthened its position in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips. These chips play a key role in powering advanced computing systems. In addition, global demand for HBM has grown rapidly in recent months. Major tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and OpenAI are increasing their use of these chips. They rely on them to support large-scale AI data centers.
Furthermore, demand for DRAM memory chips remains strong across the industry. NAND flash storage is also seeing steady demand. As a result, Samsung Electronics continues to hold a strong position in the global semiconductor market. Industry analysts believe this momentum may continue over the coming years. Some projections suggest operating profit could reach around $220 billion in 2026. It may climb further to approximately $330 billion by 2027.
