KB Securities has forecast that Samsung Electronics will rank first in global operating profit next year, driven by a surging demand for memory semiconductors in the growing artificial intelligence industry. The securities firm projects the profit center in the AI sector will shift from GPUs to memory chips, placing Samsung in a prime position for growth.
The projection places Samsung ahead of Nvidia, with fellow South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix expected to rank third. KB Securities estimates the combined operating profit for Samsung and SK Hynix could reach 944 trillion won (approximately $702.1 billion) in the coming year. This optimistic forecast comes despite recent stock price declines for Samsung and other chipmakers, which were triggered by fears of a slowdown in AI development.