Samsung reports sharp profit rise on AI chips
The South Korean electronics group expects revenue of 195 trillion won and operating profit of 107.4 trillion won for the third quarter.
Samsung Electronics has reported a preliminary operating profit of 107.4 trillion South Korean won for the third quarter of 2026. According to the company, the growth is mainly driven by demand for memory chips for artificial intelligence, while smartphones are under pressure from more expensive components.
Samsung published the preliminary figures on Thursday. Revenue came to approximately 195 trillion won. Compared with the second quarter, Samsung said revenue rose by 13.7 per cent and operating profit by 20 per cent. Compared with the same period last year, these represent increases of 126.6 and 782.5 per cent respectively.
These are not yet the final quarterly figures. Samsung says the estimate was prepared under international IFRS accounting rules before the accounts have been closed. The full results and a breakdown by business division are scheduled for 29 October.
The main driver is the chip division. Data centres use large quantities of high-speed memory for AI systems. Samsung benefits from this as a producer of, among other things, memory chips, but the same shortage is affecting other parts of the company. Memory and storage are also significant cost items in smartphones and computers.
For consumers, that means higher prices. In the United States, the prices of several Galaxy S26 models have been raised, according to Tom's Guide. The cheapest versions of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus both became 100 dollars more expensive there, according to that source; the Galaxy S26 Ultra rose by 100 to 200 dollars for some configurations. Prices vary by country and configuration.
The figures therefore show two sides of the AI boom. Chipmakers can benefit greatly from the wave of investment, but device manufacturers face more expensive components. For Samsung, it is also not yet clear how long the high demand for AI memory will continue and to what extent customers will accept higher smartphone prices.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The financial figures come directly from Samsung's preliminary publication. The price claims are limited to the US market and were checked against a second public source.
- confirmed Samsung reports revenue of 195 trillion won and operating profit of 107.4 trillion won for the third quarter. — These figures appear in Samsung's preliminary results publication. source
- confirmed The figures are preliminary and the final results will follow on 29 October. — Samsung states that the quarterly close has not yet been completed and has scheduled the conference call for 29 October. source
- confirmed Several Galaxy S26 models became more expensive in the US. — Tom's Guide describes the US price increases by model. source
Editor's note
Revenue, profit and growth percentages are preliminary figures from Samsung. Price increases have only been confirmed for the US market; no Dutch price analysis has been added.Sources
- Samsung Electronics, voorlopige resultaten derde kwartaal 2026 — Samsung Newsroom Korea
- All three Samsung Galaxy S26 phones just got a price hike — Tom's Guide
More on this in Dutch media
- Trouw — „samsung chips”
- RTL Nieuws — „samsung chips”
- FD — „samsung chips”