Samsung Stock Slides as Record Profit Fails to Impress

TLDR

• Samsung Electronics stock fell 2% to ₩264,500 on Thursday despite record preliminary Q3 earnings.
• Operating profit hit ₩107.4 trillion, up 782% year over year and the first time any tech company has topped ₩100 trillion in a quarter.
• The figure missed some analyst estimates near ₩108-110 trillion, triggering a sell the news reaction.
• The drop coincided with ETF rebalancing, options expiry, and the end of Samsung’s stock buyback program.
• Analysts remain bullish long term, with a Moderate Buy rating and 66% upside to the average price target.

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Samsung Electronics stock dropped 2% to ₩264,500 on Thursday. The decline came despite the company posting record preliminary earnings.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SMSD.L

Samsung forecast Q3 2026 operating profit of ₩107.4 trillion won. That is up 782% from a year earlier.

It marks the first time any tech company has topped ₩100 trillion in operating profit for a single quarter. Still, the number missed some analyst forecasts.

Some estimates had placed the figure between ₩108 trillion and ₩110 trillion. The slight miss was enough to spark selling.

Revenue for the quarter came in near ₩195 trillion. That compares to ₩86.06 trillion a year earlier.

The surge was fueled by demand for high-bandwidth memory chips. These chips power AI systems built by companies like Nvidia.

BREAKING: 🇰🇷 Samsung forecasts a +783% jump in Q3 operating profit.

The company expects a record ₩107.4 trillion ($80.2B) in operating profit, becoming the first tech company ever to surpass ₩100 trillion ($74.7B) in quarterly profit.

Revenue is projected at a record ₩195… pic.twitter.com/XlHvI9Nbr5

— Bull Theory (@BullTheoryio) October 8, 2026

Foreign and institutional investors turned net sellers early in Thursday’s session. That pressure pushed Samsung stock toward its session lows.

The broader KOSPI index fell nearly 2% on the same day. Most other chip and AI-related stocks also traded lower.

Analysts had flagged October 8 as a volatile date for Samsung stock well before earnings. The preliminary results landed alongside semiconductor ETF rebalancing and options expiry.

Samsung’s stock buyback program was also set to end on the same day. That combination added extra pressure on the price.

Record Growth Driven by AI Demand

Samsung’s profit growth has now stretched to four straight quarters of records. Tight supply and strong AI spending have kept memory prices elevated.

AMD’s CEO visited Samsung’s Seoul headquarters the day before the earnings release. The two companies discussed expanded AI chip collaboration, including HBM4 supply for next-generation accelerators.

That meeting offered a positive longer-term signal for Samsung’s chip business. It did not stop the stock from falling on the day, though.

Analysts Still Bullish on Samsung

Josh Gilbert, an analyst at eToro, said Samsung delivered a record profit and still fell short of expectations. He said that shows how demanding the AI trade has become.

Gilbert added that memory buyers are now signing multiyear supply deals. That gives Samsung better visibility into future demand and eases concern about the next downturn.

Samsung currently holds a Moderate Buy rating from Wall Street analysts. The average price target sits at ₩440,000, implying 66% upside from current levels.

Samsung will release its full third-quarter results on October 29. Investors will be watching for more detail on memory pricing and AI chip demand at that time.

Samsung’s daily chart shows the stock closing at ₩262,000, down 2.42% and pulling back toward the lower edge of a rising wedge. The ₩246,500 level stands out as key support, while the all-time high near ₩374,500 remains the level to beat.

RSI sits at 47.49, a neutral reading with no overbought or oversold signal. MACD has crossed below its signal line, pointing to fading short-term momentum after a bullish run through the summer.