Samsung Reclaims No. 1 Spot in DRAM

Samsung reported all-time quarterly highs in its 4Q25 preliminary results, posting a massive KRW 93 trillion ($63.3 billion) in revenue and KRW 20 trillion ($13.6 billion) in operating profit. According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung’s memory division reached a record-breaking KRW 37.4 trillion ($25.9 billion) in revenue, marking a stellar 34% growth compared to the previous quarter and accounting for a significant 40% of the company’s total sales.

The Korean tech giant now holds the global No. 1 position in both the DRAM and NAND segments of the industry, with revenues of KRW 27.7 trillion ($19.2 billion) and KRW 9.7 trillion ($6.7 billion), respectively. Following its return to the top of the overall memory market in the previous quarter, Samsung has now reclaimed its throne in the DRAM segment after four quarters, driven largely by the sharp price increases in commodity memory, fueled by relentless server demand.

Samsung’s sectoral performance reveals that while the smartphone division fell short of profit expectations due to rising cost burdens, the explosive growth in memory revenue more than compensated, driving the company to record-breaking heights. Momentum is expected to accelerate into the next quarter, bolstered by the imminent launch of the Galaxy S26 series and the expected successful qualification of Samsung’s HBM4 by NVIDIA.

“Samsung is officially back. The company is masterfully aligning its commodity DRAM supply with the current server-centric demand trends. Furthermore, the strategic integration of the advanced 1c node and 4nm logic process into its HBM4 is delivering the superior speed and thermal management that high-end customers demand. It is clear that Samsung has shifted its focus from short-term gains back to technical excellence, and that commitment is now bearing fruit. With record revenues and renewed confidence, we expect aggressive investments in cost innovation this year. Given the recent surge in memory prices, market expectations for Samsung’s 2026 performance are set to climb significantly higher from current levels,” said Jeongku Choi, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research.