Corporate Logo(source: samsung.com)
Samsung Electronics (005930) shares faltered on October 14 despite unveiling a third-quarter earnings surprise that beat market expectations, as renewed concerns over U.S.-China trade tensions weighed on investor sentiment.
However, analysts view the pullback as temporary, citing continued strength in the memory semiconductor market and anticipating that solid earnings will sustain in the long term, keeping optimism alive for the so-called “100,000-won Samsung.”
On the Korea Exchange, Samsung Electronics closed at 91,600 won, down 1.82% from the previous session.
Shortly after the opening, the stock climbed 2.89% to 96,000 won, hitting a new 52-week high and nearing its all-time record of 96,800 won set on January 11, 2021. The rally, however, quickly reversed as investors locked in profits.
In the NextTrade pre-market session, Samsung Electronics briefly surged to the 97,000-won range, marking a record high and fueling expectations that the stock could break its previous all-time peak during regular trading.
At the start of the session, buying momentum was strong as U.S. tech stocks, including Broadcom, rallied overnight on Wall Street and Samsung’s upbeat third-quarter earnings were announced before the market opened.
Samsung Electronics reported an operating profit of 12.1 trillion won for the third quarter, up 31.81% year-on-year, surpassing market forecasts by 17.4%. It marked the first time in five quarters that the company’s operating profit exceeded 10 trillion won since the second quarter of 2024.
Brokerages praised the results, describing them as a “clear earnings surprise.”
Han Dong-hee, an analyst at SK Securities, said, “Samsung Electronics’ third-quarter operating profit was a major surprise, driven primarily by stronger-than-expected performance in the memory segment.”
Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, added, “Samsung’s semiconductor division restored its pride, recovering from the slump in the first half. The sharp rise in memory demand, expansion in HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) shipments, and improved foundry utilization all contributed to higher profitability.”
However, shares turned lower later in the session after reports that the Chinese government imposed sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean (042660), reigniting trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The decline was also attributed to profit-taking, as expectations for Samsung’s strong third-quarter earnings had largely been priced in ahead of the announcement.
Despite the pullback, analysts remain confident that the correction is temporary and not a sign of a broader downtrend.
Han Ji-young of Kiwoom Securities noted, “U.S.-China trade tensions will likely continue to unsettle the market until the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October. However, based on past patterns, such tensions tend to fluctuate in cycles of escalation and relaxation, creating temporary noise rather than lasting damage. Today’s decline does not signal the start of a sustained downtrend.”
Market experts continue to forecast long-term earnings growth for Samsung Electronics, which could drive further stock gains.
Lee Jong-wook, an analyst at Samsung Securities, stated, “Since September, profitability has been improving rapidly, supported by long-term investment announcements from U.S. big tech clients and an upturn in DRAM prices. With Samsung expected to expand production facilities, the market is likely to view capacity increases positively amid limited supply and solid demand.”
Son In-jun of Heungkuk Securities also said, “After Samsung enters the supply chain of a major North American client with its fifth-generation HBM3E 12-layer chips in the fourth quarter, we expect competitive momentum to continue into HBM4. Foundry earnings should also rebound, driven by the new Exynos 2600 processor and additional large-scale customer orders for next-generation Galaxy devices.”
Brokerages have been steadily raising their target prices for Samsung Electronics, and further upgrades may follow this earnings announcement.
Samsung Securities raised its target from 93,000 won to 110,000 won, NH Investment & Securities from 94,000 won to 115,000 won, Sangsangin Securities from 76,000 won to 110,000 won, and Heungkuk Securities from 100,000 won to 120,000 won earlier this month.
Despite the overall weak market tone, foreign investors continued to buy Samsung Electronics aggressively, with a net purchase of 252 billion won, while retail investors sold 47 billion won worth of shares.
*[KOSPI]Samsung Electronics(005930) is the top company in the KOSPI, dominating the global market in semiconductors and smartphones. Its market capitalization is 542.239 trillion (as of Octorber 14, 2025, closing price).
Corporate Logo(source: samsung.com)
Samsung Electronics (005930) shares faltered on October 14 despite unveiling a third-quarter earnings surprise that beat market expectations, as renewed concerns over U.S.-China trade tensions weighed on investor sentiment.
However, analysts view the pullback as temporary, citing continued strength in the memory semiconductor market and anticipating that solid earnings will sustain in the long term, keeping optimism alive for the so-called “100,000-won Samsung.”
On the Korea Exchange, Samsung Electronics closed at 91,600 won, down 1.82% from the previous session.
Shortly after the opening, the stock climbed 2.89% to 96,000 won, hitting a new 52-week high and nearing its all-time record of 96,800 won set on January 11, 2021. The rally, however, quickly reversed as investors locked in profits.
In the NextTrade pre-market session, Samsung Electronics briefly surged to the 97,000-won range, marking a record high and fueling expectations that the stock could break its previous all-time peak during regular trading.
At the start of the session, buying momentum was strong as U.S. tech stocks, including Broadcom, rallied overnight on Wall Street and Samsung’s upbeat third-quarter earnings were announced before the market opened.
Samsung Electronics reported an operating profit of 12.1 trillion won for the third quarter, up 31.81% year-on-year, surpassing market forecasts by 17.4%. It marked the first time in five quarters that the company’s operating profit exceeded 10 trillion won since the second quarter of 2024.
Brokerages praised the results, describing them as a “clear earnings surprise.”
Han Dong-hee, an analyst at SK Securities, said, “Samsung Electronics’ third-quarter operating profit was a major surprise, driven primarily by stronger-than-expected performance in the memory segment.”
Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, added, “Samsung’s semiconductor division restored its pride, recovering from the slump in the first half. The sharp rise in memory demand, expansion in HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) shipments, and improved foundry utilization all contributed to higher profitability.”
However, shares turned lower later in the session after reports that the Chinese government imposed sanctions on five U.S. subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean (042660), reigniting trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The decline was also attributed to profit-taking, as expectations for Samsung’s strong third-quarter earnings had largely been priced in ahead of the announcement.
Despite the pullback, analysts remain confident that the correction is temporary and not a sign of a broader downtrend.
Han Ji-young of Kiwoom Securities noted, “U.S.-China trade tensions will likely continue to unsettle the market until the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October. However, based on past patterns, such tensions tend to fluctuate in cycles of escalation and relaxation, creating temporary noise rather than lasting damage. Today’s decline does not signal the start of a sustained downtrend.”
Market experts continue to forecast long-term earnings growth for Samsung Electronics, which could drive further stock gains.
Lee Jong-wook, an analyst at Samsung Securities, stated, “Since September, profitability has been improving rapidly, supported by long-term investment announcements from U.S. big tech clients and an upturn in DRAM prices. With Samsung expected to expand production facilities, the market is likely to view capacity increases positively amid limited supply and solid demand.”
Son In-jun of Heungkuk Securities also said, “After Samsung enters the supply chain of a major North American client with its fifth-generation HBM3E 12-layer chips in the fourth quarter, we expect competitive momentum to continue into HBM4. Foundry earnings should also rebound, driven by the new Exynos 2600 processor and additional large-scale customer orders for next-generation Galaxy devices.”
Brokerages have been steadily raising their target prices for Samsung Electronics, and further upgrades may follow this earnings announcement.
Samsung Securities raised its target from 93,000 won to 110,000 won, NH Investment & Securities from 94,000 won to 115,000 won, Sangsangin Securities from 76,000 won to 110,000 won, and Heungkuk Securities from 100,000 won to 120,000 won earlier this month.
Despite the overall weak market tone, foreign investors continued to buy Samsung Electronics aggressively, with a net purchase of 252 billion won, while retail investors sold 47 billion won worth of shares.
*[KOSPI]Samsung Electronics(005930) is the top company in the KOSPI, dominating the global market in semiconductors and smartphones. Its market capitalization is 542.239 trillion (as of Octorber 14, 2025, closing price).