Samsung Q1 Profit Soars 755% to Record 57.2 Trillion Won on AI Memory Demand
Samsung Electronics posted a preliminary Q1 operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, a 755% year-on-year surge, on record AI-focused HBM and DRAM chip sales. First-quarter revenue hit 133 trillion won as average DRAM selling prices jumped 64% on tight supply.
1. Record Q1 Profit and Revenue
Samsung posted preliminary operating profit of 57.2 trillion won in the first quarter, up 755% year-on-year and surpassing consensus forecasts. Revenue reached 133 trillion won, exceeding analyst estimates and outpacing full-year 2025 operating profit of 43.6 trillion won.
2. AI Memory Chip Demand Drives Margins
Strong demand from cloud service providers for high-bandwidth memory and DRAM chips accounted for an estimated 90% of operating profit. Samsung’s early commercial shipments of HBM4 chips further contributed to margin expansion.
3. Supply Tightness and Pricing Dynamics
Global DRAM average selling prices rose 64% quarter-over-quarter as memory supply remained very tight. Samsung and its rivals prioritized AI-focused HBM production, limiting availability of conventional memory modules.
4. Future Outlook and Analyst Estimates
Analysts forecast Samsung’s 2026 operating profit could exceed 310 trillion won on sustained AI inference demand. Semiconductor exports soared 151.4% to $32.8 billion in March, underscoring robust global technology demand.