Samsung Electronics expects its third-quarter operating profit to surge nearly ninefold, as strong demand from artificial intelligence companies for memory chips continues to drive a shortage across the industry.
The world’s largest memory-chip maker forecasts operating profit of a record 107.4 trillion won for the July–September period. That figure is higher than the 12.2 trillion won reported in the same period last year and above the 106 trillion won previously projected by LSEG SmartEstimate.
Sales are estimated at 195 trillion won, up 126.6% year on year.
Samsung released the preliminary profit and sales figures ahead of its full quarterly earnings report.
The upbeat outlook marks the company’s fourth consecutive quarter of record results and underscores a prolonged memory-chip shortage as AI companies scramble for chips and push prices higher.
Samsung said it has become the first technology company in the world to post quarterly operating profit above 100 trillion won.
Memory chips are a critical component of AI data centers. Strong demand has delivered record profits and share prices for chipmakers such as Samsung and SK hynix().