Samsung posts record Q1 2026 profit as the AI memory wave turns its semiconductor business into almost the entire earnings engine of the group

📌 Samsung reported Q1 2026 revenue of KRW 133.9 trillion and operating profit of KRW 57.2 trillion, both record highs, marking a sharp increase from the same period last year as memory chips entered a new growth cycle.
💡 The standout point is that the DS semiconductor division contributed KRW 53.7 trillion in operating profit, equal to around 94% of total operating profit. This shows that Samsung’s current story is now heavily centered on chip demand from AI data centers.
🔎 The main driver came from stronger pricing in DRAM, NAND, and especially HBM, while industry supply remains tight. Samsung’s HBM4 supply for NVIDIA’s next-generation AI platform further strengthens its position in the AI supply chain.
⚠️ Although the stock saw some profit-taking after a strong rally since the start of the year, the industry outlook remains positive. Samsung expects memory demand to stay strong through 2026, while the supply-demand gap could become even tighter in 2027.
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