Samsung's chip unit drives 107.44 trillion won Q3 profit

Samsung Electronics reported operating profit of 107.44 trillion won (about US$80.3 billion) for July through September in a filing on Oct 29. That is its highest quarterly figure in at least six quarters, and almost all of it came from semiconductors. Revenue for the quarter reached 195.25 trillion won (about US$146.0 billion).

On the same day the company set a quarterly dividend of 4,601 won per share and put its 2026 facility spending at about 84.4 trillion won (about US$63.1 billion). The numbers arrived one day after the stock jumped 9.01%. Outlets did not agree on how the quarter compared with expectations.

A 783% jump from a year earlier

The figures are consolidated and preliminary, meaning a full quarterly report comes later.

Q3 2026	Amount	vs. Q3 2025	vs. Q2 2026
Revenue	195.25 trillion won	+126.88%	+13.85%
Operating profit	107.44 trillion won	+783.11%	+20.06%
Net profit	75.14 trillion won	+514.58%	+4.90%

Operating profit in the third quarter of 2025 was 12.17 trillion won. In April through June 2026 it was 89.49 trillion won. Pre-tax profit for the latest quarter came to 98.53 trillion won.

The Oct 29 filing also corrected the early estimate Samsung published on Oct 8, nudging both lines higher. Revenue rose from 195.00 trillion won to 195.25 trillion won, and operating profit from 107.40 trillion won to 107.44 trillion won. Samsung releases such an estimate weeks before its full figures, a practice our explainer on why Samsung reports earnings twice covers.

Chips earned nearly all of it

The semiconductor division made 106.5 trillion won in operating profit, The Chosun Daily reported. The smartphone and home appliance businesses together ran a loss of 800 billion won, The Chosun Daily reported. Our guide to what Samsung Electronics makes sets out how those businesses are split.

Korea’s export prices for memory were far higher than a year ago over the period. The Bank of Korea’s DRAM export price index, measured in US dollars with 2020 set at 100, stood at 289.16 in September 2026, up 247.72% from September 2025. That index tracks prices for the whole country’s DRAM exports, not Samsung’s own selling prices.

Reaction from outlets diverged. JoongAng Daily said the profit came in above expectations. CNBC described it as matching estimates. Bloomberg said the chip division’s profit fell short of estimates. Samsung scheduled a conference call on its third-quarter results for 10:00 a.m. Korea time on Oct 29.

A 4,601-won dividend and 84.4 trillion won of spending

A separate Oct 29 filing set the quarterly dividend at 4,601 won (about US$3.44) per share. Shareholders on record as of Sept 30, 2026 qualify, and payment is scheduled for Nov 27. The Korea Herald reported that Samsung approved cash dividends totaling 30 trillion won (about US$22.4 billion) together with the results.

For capital spending, Samsung put 2026 facility investment at about 84.4 trillion won. Of that, 76.8 trillion won goes to the chip division, known as DS, and 3.9 trillion won to Samsung Display. The company described the total as a guideline that could change with market conditions.

A late rally after a weak month

The stock closed at 242,000 won (US$180.91) on Oct 28, up 9.01% in the last session before the results. That was its biggest one-day gain since Aug 20, when it rose 9.49%. The KOSPI climbed 6.63% the same day to close at 6,012.44. Our report on that session covers the move.

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The rally did not erase the slide that began after the Oct 8 estimate. From the Oct 8 close to the Oct 28 close, the shares lost 7.63% in won terms and 7.58% in dollar terms. The weight of the move is large for anyone holding Korean index funds: Samsung made up 30.83% of the KOSPI 200’s total market value on Oct 28.

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Information only, not investment advice.