Samsung semiconductor profits surge over 250-fold as revenue rises 130%
Samsung just posted a jaw-dropping more than 250-fold jump in its semiconductor profits for the second quarter of 2026, pulling in 89.2 trillion won.
The surge is all about the huge appetite for AI chips and a global supply crunch.
Its overall revenue also shot up 130% year over year, landing at 171.5 trillion won.
Samsung mobile loses 700 billion won
Even with those big wins, Samsung's mobile division lost 700 billion won this quarter, its first quarter in the red, because memory chip prices are climbing fast.
The company expects the chip shortage to stick around through late 2026 as everyone keeps investing in AI tech and agentic AI.
SK Hynix to boost capex 50%
SK Hynix, Samsung's main competitor, saw strong results but did not wow investors and announced it will boost capital spending by around 50% this year to chase the AI wave.
Still, both companies' shares dipped after earnings, showing that the chip industry is feeling some uncertainty about funding and competition right now.