){kind=link}
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reported record quarterly revenue and operating profit in the first quarter of 2026, driven by strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory chips used in data centres and advanced computing systems.
The South Korean tech giant said consolidated revenue rose to 133.9 trillion won ($97.8 billion) for the quarter ended March 31, up 43% quarter-on-quarter, marking an all-time high. Operating profit climbed to 57.2 trillion won ($41.8 billion), also a record, boosted primarily by its semiconductor business.
Samsung’s Device Solutions (DS) division, which houses its chip operations, posted 81.7 trillion won ($59.7 billion) in revenue and 53.7 trillion won ($39.2 billion) in operating profit, accounting for the bulk of group earnings. The company said its memory business achieved record results, supported by strong pricing and limited supply amid booming AI infrastructure demand.
The memory unit saw strong sales of high-value AI products including DDR5, SOCAMM2 modules and PCIe Gen6 solid-state drives, and began mass production of HBM4 chips for NVIDIA’s next-generation AI platforms. Samsung also plans to deliver HBM4E samples in the second quarter of 2026.
The company said demand for AI infrastructure is expected to remain strong through 2026, driven by hyperscale cloud providers and rising adoption of large language models and emerging agentic AI systems.
Samsung’s foundry business remained under pressure due to seasonal weakness but continued development of advanced process technologies, including 2-nanometre and 1.4-nanometre nodes, as it targets growth in AI and high-performance computing markets.
The Device eXperience (DX) division, which includes mobile and consumer electronics, posted 52.4 trillion won ($38.3 billion) in combined revenue, supported by premium Galaxy smartphone sales and strong TV demand, though profitability was uneven across segments.
The mobile (MX) business generated 38.1 trillion won ($27.8 billion) in revenue and 2.8 trillion won ($2.0 billion) in operating profit, helped by flagship devices, though the company expects a sequential decline in the second quarter after launch effects fade.
Samsung’s display, consumer electronics and Harman units delivered mixed performance, with display revenue of 6.7 trillion won ($4.9 billion) and operating profit of 0.4 trillion won ($0.29 billion), while TV and appliances posted 14.3 trillion won ($10.4 billion) in revenue.
The company said it will continue prioritising AI-centric semiconductor expansion and next-generation chip technologies as it positions itself at the centre of the global AI infrastructure buildout.