Samsung Electronics said a memory-chip boom helped it post record quarterly results in the fourth quarter of 2025, with consolidated revenue of 93.8 trillion won and operating profit of 20.1 trillion won. It was the first time a South Korean company reported more than 20 trillion won in operating profit in a single quarter.
In an earnings filing on Wednesday, Samsung reported fourth-quarter revenue of 93.8374 trillion won and operating profit of 20.0737 trillion won, up 23.82% and 209.17%, respectively, from a year earlier.
The core DS (Device Solutions) division posted quarterly revenue of 44 trillion won and operating profit of 16.4 trillion won, up 46.2% and 465% from a year earlier. Samsung said expanded sales of high-value memory, including high-bandwidth memory, and rising memory prices drove record quarterly revenue and profit for the division.
Samsung said it responded to stronger demand for commodity DRAM and ramped up HBM supply, boosting profitability. Sales also rose for higher-value products such as server DDR5 and enterprise SSDs.
System LSI performance fell from the previous quarter due to seasonal demand shifts, but image sensor sales increased for new 200-megapixel and “big pixel” 50-megapixel products. Foundry revenue rose as Samsung moved ahead with mass production of first-generation 2-nanometer chips and saw strong demand from customers in the United States and China, though profitability gains were limited by provisions.
The DX (Device eXperience) division reported revenue of 44.3 trillion won and operating profit of 1.3 trillion won. Revenue fell 8% from the previous quarter as the boost from new smartphone launches faded and competition intensified, while DS revenue rose 33% from the prior quarter, lifting overall results.
Harman, Samsung’s automotive electronics business, posted revenue of 4.6 trillion won and operating profit of 300 billion won. Samsung Display reported revenue of 9.5 trillion won and operating profit of 2 trillion won.
Samsung said fourth-quarter research and development spending totaled 10.9 trillion won. For full-year 2025, it spent a record 37.7 trillion won on R&D.
Looking ahead, Samsung said it expects a mixed environment in 2026, with rising geopolitical uncertainty led by global tariffs even as demand remains strong for next-generation semiconductors.
Despite ongoing trade risks, Samsung said its DS division will seek leadership in AI semiconductors by leveraging what it called the industry’s only “one-stop solution” spanning logic, memory, foundry and packaging.
In DS, Samsung said it will expand supply of high-performance products to meet the ramp-up of the HBM4 market and the trend toward higher-capacity server DRAM. In NAND, it plans to increase sales of high-performance TLC-based SSDs as demand grows for AI-focused KV SSDs.
In foundry, Samsung said it will pursue double-digit revenue growth and improved profit and loss centered on advanced processes. In the second half, it plans to strengthen competitiveness by mass-producing second-generation 2-nanometer chips and optimizing its 4-nanometer process.
In DX, Samsung said it will strengthen core competitiveness by diversifying its supply chain and optimizing operations, while expanding AI-enabled products and offering more integrated AI experiences.
The company said it will continue next-generation AI experiences and form-factor innovation to reinforce leadership in AI smartphones, and will seek better profitability through more flagship-focused sales and cost efficiency despite cost pressures.
Harman said it will work to improve profitability by expanding automotive orders and increasing sales of premium audio products. In displays, Samsung said it will maintain leadership in small and mid-sized panels for smartphones and expand sales of large panels focused on premium TVs and monitors.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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