Samsung posts weak Q4 profits amid struggles with AI memory chip

Samsung Electronics is taking heat after posting a weak ₩6.5 trillion ($4.5 billion) operating profit for Q4 2024, a number that’s more than double last year’s figure but still a gut punch compared to the ₩7.7 trillion analysts expected.

It’s a wake-up call for the world’s biggest memory chipmaker, as the numbers expose some brutal realities: cooling demand, tough competition, and delays in AI tech. The semiconductor giant blamed slowing sales of PCs and smartphones for dragging its chip division. But it’s not just demand that’s killing the vibe.

Samsung is bleeding cash to ramp up production for advanced chip manufacturing, and its flagship HBM3E chips—needed for Nvidia’s AI systems—missed delivery deadlines. Oversupply in conventional memory chips is leaving Samsung to juggle a pile of challenges while trying to keep its top spot.

AI market: SK Hynix is eating Samsung’s lunch

The AI hardware race isn’t waiting for Samsung to catch up. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang made it clear during CES in Las Vegas that Samsung’s current HBM offerings just aren’t cutting it. “They have to engineer a new design,” he said, though he added he’s confident Samsung can pull it off.

Nice words, but it doesn’t change the fact that SK Hynix is miles ahead with AI-grade high-bandwidth memory chips. Samsung has been slow to meet Nvidia’s standards, and analysts are already warning that its late entry into the HBM game could cost it even more market share.

What’s worse, the chip industry isn’t exactly booming across the board. Last month, US competitor Micron Technology predicted weak revenue and profits thanks to falling chip prices. But while Micron and others are struggling with broader market trends, Samsung is also losing ground where it hurts the most: the high-margin, high-stakes AI sector.

Despite all the drama, Samsung’s stock jumped 2.9% on Wednesday. Why? Optimism about a future rebound in chip demand. But 2024 was rough. Shares tanked more than 30%, prompting an uncharacteristic apology from Samsung in October for its poor performance.