Samsung Electronics Q4 2025 Earnings: Operating Profit Hits Record 20 Trillion Won

Samsung Electronics just shattered its quarterly profit record. Driven by a massive semiconductor supercycle, the tech giant reported a preliminary operating profit of 20 trillion won ($13.8 billion) for the fourth quarter of 2025. This marks the first time in the company's history that it's touched the 20 trillion won mark in a single quarter, representing a staggering 200% jump from the previous year.

Samsung Electronics Q4 2025 Earnings: Riding the Chip Supercycle

According to the earnings guidance released on January 8, 2026, quarterly sales increased by 22.7% to 93 trillion won. For the full year of 2025, Samsung Electronics estimated its annual operating profit at 43.53 trillion won on sales of 332.77 trillion won. These figures illustrate a robust recovery after a prolonged slump in the global memory market.

The Device Solutions (DS) division, which oversees the core semiconductor business, was the primary engine of growth. Global prices for DRAM and NAND flash surged by approximately 40% in the fourth quarter alone. Analysts at Korea Investment & Securities estimate that the DS division's operating profit reached between 16 trillion and 17 trillion won, a massive leap from the 7 trillion won recorded in Q3.

2026 Outlook: HBM4 and Strategic Shifts

Looking ahead to 2026, market expectations are rising sharply. KB Securities researcher Kim Dong-won predicts an annual operating profit of 123 trillion won for the current year. This optimism stems from the anticipated supply of HBM4 to major tech companies like Nvidia and Google. HBM sales are projected to triple to 26 trillion won this year.

The company's mobile business is also expected to get a boost from the upcoming launch of the Galaxy S26 smartphones. Despite the record numbers, Samsung Electronics shares were trading at 141,000 won, up a modest 0.07% following the news, as investors had already priced in much of the growth.