Jakarta, INTI - Samsung Electronics recorded a strong performance from its memory chip business in the first quarter of 2026. The division's revenue even surpasses that of several major global technology companies, such as Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.
According to Counterpoint Research data, Samsung generated revenue from its memory business of US$50.4 billion (approximately Rp800 trillion) from January to March 2026. Specifically, the company’s DRAM business contributed approximately US$37 billion, while NAND reached US$13.4 billion, both of which are record highs in the company's history.
This performance represents a significant surge compared to the previous cycle, even increasing by approximately 167 percent from the peak reached in 2018. This is mainly due to high demand for memory chips in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry.
Estimation of Rp620 Trillion Profit
In terms of profitability, Samsung's memory chip business is the main contributor to the company's operating profit, which is estimated to reach US$38.9 billion (approximately Rp620 trillion) in one quarter.
For comparison, operating profits of other major technology companies in previous periods were below this figure. Amazon recorded approximately US$25 billion, Meta recorded US$24.7 billion, and Microsoft recorded approximately US$20.6 billion. This confirms that Samsung's financial performance in the first quarter of 2026 surpassed several global technology giants.
High Demand in AI Industry
This strong performance was driven by surging demand for memory chips from the AI industry. Technologies such as large language models and cloud computing require high-capacity, high-speed memory, particularly DRAM and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM).
High demand, particularly from large technology companies, also exceeds existing production capacity. This has driven up prices and boosted revenues for memory manufacturers like Samsung.
Conclusion
Samsung Electronics recorded a significant surge in its memory chip business in the first quarter of 2026, with revenue reaching US$50.4 billion and an operating profit of approximately US$38.9 billion, surpassing the performance of Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. This growth was driven by high demand for chips for artificial intelligence (AI) needs, especially DRAM and HBM, which even exceeded production capacity, triggering a price increase and boosting revenue.
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