"While end customers grapple with crushing memory prices, we imagine Samsung execs are breaking out the Champagne. This week the memory titan forecast fourth-quarter operating profit would roughly triple as the South Korean electronics cabal rides the AI wave into the New Year. In a financial disclosure published Thursday, Samsung predicted Q4 operating profits would come in at $13.77 billion (20 trillion won), up from $4.4 billion (6.49 trillion won) a year ago."
"Meanwhile, Samsung expects revenues to grow by approximately 23 percent year over year to $64 billion (93 trillion won). Samsung is one of the leading producers of NAND flash and DRAM memory, prices for which have exploded over the past few months as inventory levels have been strained by intense demand for AI accelerators and servers. Memory prices are expected to continue climbing sharply over the next few quarters."
"Earlier this week, it was revealed that Samsung and SK Hynix could hike prices by as much as 70 percent in the first quarter of 2026 alone. Combined with a 50 percent price hike in the latter half of 2025, that means buyers can expect to pay more than twice what they did for the same memory a year ago."
Samsung forecast fourth-quarter operating profit of $13.77 billion, roughly triple last year’s $4.4 billion, and expects revenues to rise about 23% to $64 billion. Strong demand for AI accelerators and servers has strained NAND and DRAM inventories, causing memory prices to surge in recent months. Analysts predict DRAM prices will not peak until at least 2026 and expect prices to remain elevated through 2027. Major vendors have shifted capacity toward server DRAM and HBM for AI systems, prompting steep price hikes that significantly increase costs for consumers.
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