Samsung Electronics has forecast a record operating profit for the third quarter of 2026, driven by strong demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The company estimated operating profit at 107.4 trillion won, with revenue expected to reach 195 trillion won.
The figures are preliminary estimates, not the company’s final results. Samsung is scheduled to publish a detailed breakdown of its quarterly performance on October 29, 2026.
AI Demand Is Driving Samsung’s Chip Business
Data centers running AI services need large amounts of memory to process information. Samsung said its preliminary results reflect rising demand for memory products, including high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is designed to move large amounts of data quickly.
Reuters reported that the estimated operating profit is nearly nine times higher than a year earlier. The figures also point to continued pressure on global memory-chip supply as technology companies invest in AI infrastructure.
Read the latest figures in Reuters’ report on Samsung’s third-quarter forecast.
Why This Matters Beyond Data Centers
Memory chips are used in many products, including smartphones, computers, and consumer electronics. When demand rises and supply becomes tighter, component costs can put pressure on manufacturers across the technology industry.
That does not mean Samsung has announced a price increase for its phones. The effect on consumer devices depends on supply contracts, production costs, product strategy, and market conditions. Samsung’s full results should provide more information about how the chip boom affected its different business divisions.
The Smartphone Business Faces a Different Picture
Samsung’s record forecast is being driven mainly by its semiconductor business. The company’s mobile and consumer-electronics divisions do not necessarily benefit in the same way from higher memory prices, because they also buy components for their products.
Reuters reported that analysts expect rising component costs to challenge Samsung’s smartphone and consumer-electronics businesses. The final earnings report will clarify how each division performed during the quarter.
For readers following Samsung’s next phones, see our coverage of the Galaxy S27 Ultra color reports. Those reports are separate from Samsung’s financial forecast and should not be treated as confirmed product specifications.
What Are HBM Chips?
High-bandwidth memory is a type of memory built to transfer data at high speeds. It is especially important in AI accelerators and data-center systems, where processors need to access large datasets quickly.
As AI companies build more computing capacity, demand for specialized memory has become a major factor in the semiconductor market. Samsung’s forecast highlights how growth in AI infrastructure can affect chipmakers as well as the companies that use those components in consumer products.
What Happens Next?
Samsung’s current figures are preliminary. The detailed earnings announcement on October 29 is expected to provide a clearer view of revenue and profit across its semiconductor, mobile, display, and consumer-electronics businesses.
Investors and device makers will also be watching whether strong AI-related memory demand continues and how component availability affects production costs in the months ahead.
Key Takeaway
Samsung’s preliminary third-quarter forecast points to record profit, with AI-related memory demand providing a major boost to its chip business. The figures do not confirm phone price changes, and the final impact on Samsung’s mobile division will become clearer when the company releases its detailed results on October 29.