Seoul, February 1, 2026, 00:07 KST — The market has closed.
- Samsung Electronics shares ended Friday down 0.1%, closing at 160,500 won.
- Driving the strong results was the chip business, which helped the company post a record operating profit for the fourth quarter.
- Investors are balancing AI-driven memory improvements with rising costs and weaker demand for phones and PCs.
Samsung Electronics shares slipped slightly on Friday, capping a volatile week. Investors wrestled with the company’s record quarterly profits alongside cautionary signals that a tough memory market is beginning to pressure device makers.
The stock has turned into a popular bet on the AI buildout. The debate has grown more complex: robust chip profits face the risk that rising memory costs could pinch margins in phones, PCs, and even Samsung’s own handset division.
Samsung Electronics shares last closed at 160,500 won, down 200 won for the session and roughly 1% shy of their 52-week high, FnGuide data showed. Over the past year, the stock has climbed about 199%. Analyst consensus from 26 estimates puts the average target price at 207,654 won.
Samsung reported record quarterly revenue of 93.8 trillion won and operating profit of 20.1 trillion won in its latest earnings release. Full-year operating profit reached 43.6 trillion won. The Device Solutions chip division delivered 16.4 trillion won in operating profit for the quarter, while the Mobile eXperience and Networks segment added 1.9 trillion won. The company also confirmed its memory business is set to start shipping next-generation HBM4 products this quarter and flagged a Galaxy S26 launch within the same period.
Pressure is mounting beyond the chip sector. Apple CEO Tim Cook said memory prices are “increasing significantly” and flagged a larger impact expected this quarter, after a limited effect during the holiday season. SK Hynix reported PC and mobile customers are “adjusting purchase volumes,” while Samsung mobile exec Cho Seong labeled 2026 a “challenging year” for handsets. IDC and Counterpoint Research now forecast a drop in global smartphone sales this year. Meanwhile, Macquarie Equity Research put last year’s high-bandwidth memory market share at 61% for SK Hynix, 19% for Samsung, and 20% for Micron. Reuters
High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is stacked memory designed to deliver data more quickly to AI processors. This shift in demand has kept prices steady, but it’s also squeezing the supply of traditional DRAM, the main memory found in phones and PCs.
Yet the trade can reverse fast. If device makers slash orders or tweak designs to use less memory, pricing power for chips takes a hit and the earnings outlook dims, despite ongoing strong AI demand.
Execution remains a key risk. Investors are keen to see if Samsung can close the gap with SK Hynix on the cutting-edge HBM products sought after by Nvidia and other AI-focused clients.
Seoul markets are closed this weekend, shifting focus to Monday’s open. Traders will watch chip-related stocks closely, seeking fresh hints from customer orders, memory chip prices, and broker commentary. All eyes remain on the next phase of earnings season and Samsung’s upcoming product launches.
