Samsung Electronics achieved a record-high quarterly revenue of KRW 79.14 trillion in Q1 2025, marking a 10 percent increase, primarily driven by strong sales of its Galaxy S25 smartphones.
Net income rose 21.7 percent to KRW 8.22 trillion, as the DX division — which includes mobile, TVs, and appliances — generated KRW 51.7 trillion in sales and KRW 4.7 trillion in operating profit. The mobile business led the charge with KRW 37 trillion in revenue and KRW 4.3 trillion in operating profit.
The latest Canalys report has indicated that Samsung shipped 60.5 million units in Q1 2025 vs 60 million in Q1 2024, supported by the launch of its latest flagship models and competitively priced new A-series products.
IDC report earlier said Samsung regained its market leadership by shipping 60.6 million phones, driven by the continuous success of its Galaxy S25 premium device and the Galaxy A series in the mid-range, particularly the latest Galaxy A36 and A56, offering AI at more affordable prices.
Samsung’s semiconductor division posted a 17 percent decline in sales to KRW 25.1 trillion due to weak performance in high bandwidth memory (HBM), largely impacted by U.S. export restrictions and delayed demand ahead of new HBM3E product launches.
DRAM and NAND sales benefited from rising prices, but these gains were offset by underwhelming HBM results and seasonal softness in the foundry business.
To drive future growth, Samsung invested KRW 9 trillion in R&D — the highest ever for a first quarter — focusing on advanced memory technologies and system semiconductors.
The company is preparing to mass produce HBM4 chips in Q2 and sees these as a disruptive force in the HBM market, currently led by SK hynix.
Samsung aims to expand its memory portfolio with upgraded 12-layer HBM3E and premium LPDDR5X products.
Samsung will be launching the Galaxy S25 Edge in June and new foldables in July to maintain mobile momentum.
With an eye on recovering demand for AI servers and on-device AI capabilities, Samsung expects improved performance in the second half of 2025 if global economic and trade uncertainties subside.
In response to rising geopolitical risks and unpredictable U.S. tariffs, Samsung is collaborating with the South Korean government to mitigate negative impacts and adapt its strategy in a volatile global environment.
Baburajan Kizhakedath