Samsung’s Q1 Profit Soars 755% to 57.2 Trillion Won on AI Memory
Samsung Electronics reported Q1 operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, a 755% year-over-year increase, driven by high-bandwidth memory and DRAM chip orders. Tight HBM and conventional DRAM supply alongside a 151.4% jump in March semiconductor exports to $32.8 billion creates a favourable pricing outlook for memory suppliers like Micron.
1. Record First-Quarter Operating Profit
Samsung Electronics reported preliminary Q1 operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, marking a 755% increase year-over-year and setting a new quarterly record that surpassed consensus estimates by nearly 45%.
2. Surge in AI-Focused Memory Demand
The profit surge was driven by ramped-up orders for high-bandwidth memory and conventional DRAM chips from cloud service providers, with memory’s contribution estimated at about 90% of total operating profit amid very tight HBM and DRAM supply.
3. Soaring Semiconductor Exports
South Korea’s semiconductor exports climbed 151.4% year-over-year to a record $32.8 billion in March, reflecting strong global demand for memory components used in AI data centers.