TLDRs;
- Samsung stock dipped 1.17% despite forecasts for its strongest Q3 profit since 2022.
- AI-driven demand boosted DRAM prices 171.8% year-over-year in Q3.
- Nvidia HBM3E qualification delays limit Samsung’s immediate AI chip revenue gains.
- Samsung and SK hynix expand hiring to meet rising AI semiconductor demand.
Samsung Electronics’ shares fell 1.17% on Monday to ₩93,300, even as analysts projected the tech giant’s highest third-quarter profit since 2022, powered by soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) memory chips.
Despite the modest drop, optimism remains strong for Samsung’s AI-led rebound, underscored by growing interest in its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and partnerships with global players like Tesla and OpenAI.
Analysts expect Samsung to report an operating profit of ₩10.1 trillion (US$7.1 billion) for the July–September quarter, a 10% increase year-on-year. Much of the surge stems from higher conventional memory chip prices as data center operators and AI firms rebuilt inventories, setting the stage for the company’s strongest momentum in over two years.
AI Chips Power Profit Revival
The global race to develop faster, AI-ready memory has turned Samsung’s chip division into a central growth engine. Prices for certain DRAM chips jumped 171.8% year-over-year in Q3, according to research firm TrendForce. This resurgence has been driven by hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, all rushing to build larger AI infrastructure.
Samsung’s recent announcement of an AI chip partnership with OpenAI, alongside its supply deal with Tesla, further signals the firm’s deeper push into the AI semiconductor ecosystem. Those developments fueled a 43% stock rally earlier this year, helping Samsung reclaim its leadership in the global chip market after a challenging 2023 marked by oversupply and weak demand.
However, despite the strong fundamentals, short-term investor sentiment has cooled as markets digest production delays and regulatory pressures.
Nvidia Delays Test Samsung’s HBM Ambitions
A key point of concern for investors lies in Samsung’s delayed rollout of its latest HBM3E chips for Nvidia — a critical component for AI accelerators. Although Samsung cleared Nvidia’s qualification tests for its 12-layer HBM3E chips, the company won’t begin volume shipments until 2026, giving rivals SK hynix and Micron a temporary lead.
“Samsung has the technology, but the lag in Nvidia qualification means they’ll miss part of this year’s AI spending boom,” one Seoul-based semiconductor analyst told local media.
Adding to that challenge, U.S. export rules continue to restrict advanced chip sales to China, exposing Samsung’s global supply chain to geopolitical risk.
Hiring Surge Reflects Long-Term AI Bet
Despite near-term volatility, Samsung and SK hynix are ramping up recruitment to expand AI chip production capacity.
SK hynix is currently hiring experienced professionals in high-bandwidth memory and chip design, while Samsung has begun large-scale entry-level recruitment, with successful candidates expected to start in 2026.
The company’s next generation of engineers will focus on process development and circuit design, underscoring its commitment to maintaining technological leadership in the AI era. Samsung’s Global Aptitude Test, scheduled for October 25, marks the next step in building its future chip workforce.
Future Outlook
With Q3 estimates due October 14, Samsung’s near-term stock weakness may simply reflect profit-taking after months of steady gains. Analysts expect the company’s AI chip strategy, improved pricing power, and next-generation memory roadmap to drive further upside into 2026, once HBM3E shipments begin and AI server demand matures.
For now, Monday’s slight dip looks more like a pause than a pullback, as Samsung continues positioning itself at the center of the global AI hardware revolution.
