{
  "id": 12821095,
  "title": "AI boom to bring world-first profit for Samsung unit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/ai-boom-to-bring-world-first-profit-for-samsung-unit",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-08T07:26:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTHK News - Finance",
    "slug": "rthk-news-finance",
    "url": "https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1873145-20261008.htm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Samsung Electronics expects its third-quarter profit to reach an unprecedented 100 trillion won, marking a nearly nine-fold increase in earnings as the demand for AI chips surges. The South Korean tech giant projects an operating profit of 107.4 trillion won, or $80.17 billion, slightly exceeding the LSEG SmartEstimate. This forecast signifies Samsung's fourth consecutive quarter of record operating profit, highlighting the intensifying global memory chip shortage due to AI infrastructure investments outpacing supply growth, which has led to significant price surges. Samsung and Micron semiconductor firm anticipate this imbalance to continue until 2028, although Chinese competition and potential AI spending slowdown may impact long-term earnings outlook. Despite the forecast, Samsung's shares traded slightly lower in early market hours, falling 0.2% compared to a 0.5% decline in the broader Kospi index. The company's stock has plummeted over 25% from its June record high due to concerns over the AI boom's longevity. Analysts also anticipate a slower profit growth rate in the fourth quarter compared to the third, with an 8.2% increase from the previous quarter, down from the 20% sequential growth in the previous period. Market analyst Kim Seok-hwan noted that the focus is now on the sustainability of the sharp earnings growth, with analysts expecting a 8.2% rise in profits for the fourth quarter, slower than the 20% sequential growth in the third quarter due to a slowdown in chip price growth. Market research firm TrendForce predicts a 10% to 15% rise in conventional DRAM contract prices in the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter, a slowdown from the second quarter's 60% surge. The cooling trend in memory prices is attracting investor attention after a year-long rally that pushed profit margins to record highs for Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. The company will disclose detailed results, including a breakdown of earnings by business division, on October 29. Meanwhile, TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported record third-quarter revenue of $46.71 billion, exceeding market expectations and rising 50% year-over-year, driven by soaring demand for AI applications.",
  "summary": "Samsung Electronics on Thursday projected its quarterly profit would top 100 trillion won, a world first for a technology company, estimating a nearly nine-fold jump in third-quarter earnings as booming demand for AI chips drove strong memory sales. The world's largest memory chipmaker estimated an operating profit of 107.4 trillion won, or US$80.17 billion, slightly ahead of an LSEG…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf Times Business",
        "title": "Samsung expects 780% quarterly operating profit jump on AI boom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/samsung-expects-780-quarterly-operating-profit-jump-on-ai-boom",
        "published": "2026-10-07T21:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Nikkei Asia",
        "title": "Samsung Q3 profit jumps nearly 9 times to $80bn in AI chip boom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/samsung-q3-profit-jumps-nearly-9-times-to-80bn-in-ai-chip-boom",
        "published": "2026-10-07T22:38:18.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CNBC World",
        "title": "Samsung forecasts record third-quarter profit of $80 billion as AI boom fuels chip demand",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/samsung-forecasts-record-third-quarter-profit-of-80-billion-as-ai",
        "published": "2026-10-08T00:51:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Joy Business",
        "title": "Samsung flags $80 billion profit on AI boom, highest quarterly for any tech company",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/samsung-flags-80-billion-profit-on-ai-boom-highest-quarterly-for-any-12779991",
        "published": "2026-10-08T03:15:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Samsung flags $80 billion profit on AI boom, highest quarterly for any tech company",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/samsung-flags-80-billion-profit-on-ai-boom-highest-quarterly-for-any",
        "published": "2026-10-08T03:17:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Straits Times Business",
        "title": "Samsung flags $95.7 billion profit on AI boom, highest quarterly for any tech company",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/samsung-flags-95-7-billion-profit-on-ai-boom-highest-quarterly-for",
        "published": "2026-10-08T03:25:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "Samsung's Operating Profit Jumps Nearly Ninefold To Record $80.1 Billion, Misses Estimates Amid AI Chip Boom",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/samsungs-operating-profit-jumps-nearly-ninefold-to-record-80-1",
        "published": "2026-10-08T08:00:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}