삼성의 영업이익이 메모리 및 HBM 칩에 대한 AI 수요로 인해 2026년 2분기 1,800% 폭증했으며, 세계 지배적 메모리 제조업체로서의 지위를 강화했다.
South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics posted a massive 19-fold jump in second-quarter operating profit from the prior year, driven by sustained AI-driven demand for memory chips. The world's largest memory chipmaker reported April-June operating profit of 89.49 trillion won (US$62 billion)—up 1,813.8 percent year-over-year—with revenue reaching 171.49 trillion won, a 130 percent increase. Net profit soared 1,299.9 percent to 71.62 trillion won. These results met market expectations, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
The strong earnings came amid broader volatility in South Korean semiconductor stocks. On the day before the announcement, nervous traders unwound AI-driven positions, prompting a sharp sell-off. Samsung fell more than 12 percent, while its domestic rival SK hynix tumbled nearly 20 percent after 14 percent losses the previous day, halving its value from record highs the previous month. SK hynix's second quarter results came in below expectations, though its net profit did surge 1,242 percent.
Samsung, SK hynix, and US-based Micron are the world's three leading manufacturers of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI processors. Samsung's memory business "achieved another record-breaking quarter" by addressing AI demand with a focus on server products. "The continued industry-wide upward trend of prices also contributed to the record earnings," the company said. Looking ahead, Samsung expects robust server demand driven by continued AI infrastructure spending and the adoption of agentic AI systems that autonomously perform tasks to boost productivity.
Over the weekend, Samsung announced a strategic collaboration with US chipmaker Broadcom for the supply of HBM and other memory solutions supporting Broadcom's next-generation AI accelerators. The partnership is estimated to exceed US$200 billion through 2030. Analysts view this as Samsung's effort to secure an AI memory customer base beyond NVIDIA, which has long relied on SK hynix for HBM. "Samsung's ability to supply HBM to NVIDIA is somewhat constrained," said Joo Won, head of the economic research division at Hyundai Research Institute. "Since it hasn't been able to make meaningful inroads into SK hynix's market share, it appears to be shifting its focus to other areas."
The semiconductor boom has buoyed South Korea's tax revenue, prompting President Lee Jae Myung to characterize it as a "golden window" for investment in AI and semiconductors. Seoul has confirmed plans for Samsung and SK hynix to invest a combined 800 trillion won in building four advanced semiconductor fabrication plants at a former military airport site in Gwangju. However, analysts caution that such long-term projects carry risk. "The biggest risk is that the semiconductor supercycle could be over by the time it's ready, leaving the industry facing weaker earnings," Joo said.