Samsung Electronics is preparing to reach the highest operating profit in its history in 2026. Predictions shared in financial circles indicate that the company may announce record financial results both in the second quarter and throughout the year. While the unabated global investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure increase the demand for high-bandwidth memory solutions, Samsung’s semiconductor activities also directly benefit from this growth. If expectations are realized, the company’s operating profit this year may exceed the total operating profit it has achieved in the last 40 years since it entered the semiconductor business.
According to the assessments of financial industry analysts, Samsung’s second quarter 2026 operating profit is expected to exceed 84.59 trillion South Korean won, or approximately $61.3 billion. Estimates for the whole year point to an operating profit of approximately 300 trillion won, or 217.4 billion dollars. If this level is reached, Samsung may become one of the world’s most profitable technology companies, surpassing Nvidia’s $59.2 billion operating profit announced in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.
Demand for AI memory chips fuels Samsung’s growth
Kim Yong-kwan, Head of Strategy of Samsung Device Solutions (DS) unit, stated that, according to internal evaluations, the operating profit of 2026 is expected to exceed the total operating profit of Samsung since the day it started its semiconductor activities. This evaluation also reveals the extent of the contribution of artificial intelligence-focused data center investments to memory manufacturers.
The company produces DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) solutions that are included in the accelerator systems used by major artificial intelligence developers today. Along with Samsung, SK hynix and Micron, it is one of the limited manufacturers operating on a global scale in HBM production. According to information shared in the industry, the company’s HBM4 memories are among the fastest solutions in terms of performance.
Samsung’s semiconductor adventure began in 1974 with the acquisition of Korea Semiconductor. The company, which produced integrated circuits for LED digital clocks in the early years, developed the first 64 Kb DRAM chip in 1983 and started commercial sales of these products in 1984. While it is stated that the total operating profit of the company between 1985 and 2025 remains below 300 trillion won, it is predicted that this level can only be exceeded in 2026.
In addition, Samsung plans to invest over 40 trillion won every year in order to meet the demand for artificial intelligence-focused semiconductors. The company currently supplies sixth-generation HBM4 memory to Nvidia. In addition, HBM4 shipments are expected to start for AMD, Google and other companies developing artificial intelligence accelerators. Samsung has also started shipping seventh generation HBM4E memory to its customers.
On the other hand, the picture for the company was not always this positive. Last year, Samsung had difficulties with Nvidia’s approval process for HBM3E memory due to some performance-related issues. The company later resolved these technical problems and introduced the new generation HBM4 products. If the demand for artificial intelligence servers remains strong, Samsung’s memory unit is expected to continue to be one of the most important sources of income in the company’s financial performance in the coming period.