Samsung's second-quarter operating profit beats estimates on AI chip demand

Samsung Electronics reported second-quarter operating profit of 89.5 trillion won in results released on Thursday, 30 July 2026 (8 Mordad 1405), above the 88.13 trillion won expected by LSEG SmartEstimates. Revenue came in at 171.5 trillion won, slightly below the 172.65 trillion won the market had expected. Samsung shares were trading up 1.6 percent in early Thursday trade.

The South Korean technology group posted a record second-quarter operating profit, up 1,814 percent year on year, while revenue rose 130 percent. Profit climbed more than 56 percent from the previous quarter and revenue more than 28 percent. Both figures were in line with the company's own forecast released earlier this month.

Samsung cited AI server demand as the key driver of the result in its memory business, with DRAM and NAND sales reaching all-time highs. The company said it had scaled up sales of HBM4 memory and shipped the industry's first HBM4E samples to major customers. Its domestic rival SK Hynix reported a record second-quarter profit on Wednesday, though it fell short of analysts' estimates.