Samsung : Electronics on Thursday announced its strongest quarterly performance on record, fueled by surging global demand for advanced semiconductor products used in artificial intelligence systems. The company reported sharp increases in operating profit, revenue, and net income for the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a powerful rebound in its core chip business and improved market conditions for memory products.
According to a regulatory filing, Samsung posted operating profit of 20.07 trillion won for the October–December period, more than tripling from 6.49 trillion won a year earlier. Quarterly revenue climbed 23.8 percent year-on-year to 93.83 trillion won, marking the highest fourth-quarter sales in the company’s history.
Net profit reached 19.64 trillion won, representing a 153.3 percent increase compared with the same quarter in 2024. The results surpassed market forecasts, which had projected average net profit of around 18.6 trillion won, based on data compiled by Yonhap Infomax.
The device solutions division, which oversees Samsung’s semiconductor operations, delivered the strongest contribution to overall earnings. Operating profit from the chip unit rose to a record 16.4 trillion won during the quarter, up sharply from 2.9 trillion won a year earlier.
Samsung attributed the performance to solid sales of general DRAM and high bandwidth memory products, both of which have benefited from rising adoption in AI servers and data centers. Higher global memory prices and steady demand for premium offerings, including enterprise-grade solid-state drives, also supported profitability.
The device experience division, covering smartphones, televisions, and home appliances, recorded a combined operating profit of 1.3 trillion won in the fourth quarter.
Within that segment, the mobile business generated operating profit of 1.9 trillion won, slightly lower than the 2.1 trillion won reported a year earlier. Samsung cited increased competition and higher marketing costs as factors affecting margins.
The home appliances business posted an operating loss of 600 billion won, reversing a profit of 200 billion won in the same period last year. The company said global tariff-related pressures and higher logistics costs weighed on performance.
Samsung continued to invest aggressively in future growth areas. Research and development spending reached 10.9 trillion won in the fourth quarter, bringing total R&D expenditure for 2025 to a record 37.7 trillion won.
Capital spending during the October–December period amounted to 20.4 trillion won. For the full year, facility investment totaled 52.7 trillion won, with 47.5 trillion won allocated to the semiconductor division, underscoring the company’s focus on advanced chip manufacturing.
For the full year of 2025, Samsung reported net income of 45.2 trillion won, up 31.2 percent from the previous year. Annual operating profit increased 33.2 percent to 43.6 trillion won, while total sales rose 10.9 percent to 333.6 trillion won.
Despite the strong showing, Samsung’s annual operating profit across all businesses fell behind that of rival SK hynix Inc., which posted 47.2 trillion won. This marked the first time Samsung trailed its domestic competitor on a full-year operating profit basis.
Looking ahead, Samsung said it expects continued growth led by its semiconductor business, supported by rising demand from AI and server markets. The company plans to respond proactively to customer needs for high-end memory chips tailored to AI applications.
In mobile devices, Samsung aims to strengthen its position through expanded AI features and the upcoming launch of its Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup. The company also plans to enhance home appliance sales by integrating AI capabilities and emphasizing premium product ranges.
Samsung announced special dividends totaling 1.3 trillion won, bringing overall fourth-quarter payouts to 3.7 trillion won. Total dividends for fiscal 2025 amounted to 11.1 trillion won, reflecting the company’s commitment to shareholder returns amid improved earnings.
