Core Viewpoint - Samsung Electronics reported a significant decline in its semiconductor division's operating profit, down 94% year-on-year, primarily due to high inventory-related costs despite stable sales [1][5]. Financial Performance - For Q2, Samsung's operating profit was 4.67 trillion KRW (approximately 3.4 billion USD), a 55.23% decrease compared to the same period last year [1][5]. - Net profit fell by 48.01% to 5.11 trillion KRW, while total revenue slightly increased by 0.67% to 74.56 trillion KRW [1][5]. - The semiconductor business revenue decreased by 2% year-on-year, reflecting ongoing inventory issues [1][5]. Business Segments - The semiconductor division faced challenges with low capacity utilization in its foundry business, leading to stagnant revenue of 6.7 trillion KRW [1][5]. - The mobile and network business saw a 40.9% increase in operating profit, reaching 3.1 trillion KRW, driven by strong sales of flagship models like Galaxy S25 and mid-range Galaxy A series [1][5]. Future Outlook - Samsung anticipates a slight improvement in profitability in the second half of the year, focusing on increasing server memory chip sales and awaiting certification for HBM3E high-bandwidth memory [2][6]. - The company aims to enhance the yield of its next-generation 2nm GAA process to attract large clients, including a recent eight-year contract with Tesla worth 23 trillion KRW [2][3][8]. Product Innovations - The smartphone market is expected to be boosted by the launch of new foldable models, Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, along with innovative products like XR headphones and a three-segment "Trifold" smartphone [4][8]. - Samsung's AI strategy is advancing, with a shift towards a multi-modal architecture for smartphone interaction, enhancing features in the S25 series through collaboration with Google [9]. Market Conditions - Despite uncertainties in the second half of the year, Samsung expects a rebound in performance, driven by growth in AI and robotics sectors [6]. - The company is closely monitoring the impact of tariffs and geopolitical risks on its core businesses, particularly in semiconductors and consumer electronics [6]. Investment Strategy - Samsung has invested 120 million USD in approximately 40 companies in the first half of the year, focusing on AI, robotics, and digital health to discover new technologies [6]. - The company plans to expand its HBM and advanced DRAM sales, anticipating a significant price increase for DRAM starting in the second half of the year [6][7].

Group 1 - China is implementing subsidy policies to encourage the purchase of domestic semiconductor memory products, with Chinese DRAM and NAND being 23% cheaper than products from other countries, and potentially up to 50% cheaper when subsidies are considered [1][2] - The presence of large Chinese companies in the semiconductor memory market is increasing due to technological innovation and improved price competitiveness, which is contributing to a decrease in global bulk trading prices [1][2] - Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. (YMTC) is expanding its market share in the NAND sector, while Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is growing in the DRAM sector, primarily targeting the domestic market [1][2] Group 2 - The price of NAND-based solid-state drives (SSDs) has decreased, with the price of the benchmark TLC 256GB dropping by 8% to around $29.9 in the first quarter [2] - Changxin Memory Technologies has successfully mass-produced products using hybrid bonding (HB) technology earlier than Korean competitors, with their products reaching a maximum of 267 layers [5] - The price of DDR4 8GB has dropped to around $1.70, and 4GB products are at $1.30, marking a continuous decline over six months, influenced by the rise of Changxin Memory Technologies [5] Group 3 - Demand for NAND and DRAM is weakening due to sluggish sales of personal computers and smartphones, leading to a decrease in prices [6] - Approximately 50% of DRAM is used in personal computers and data center servers, while about 35% is used in smartphones [6] - There are indications that inventory levels may decrease sooner than expected, which could lead to increased demand for DDR4, DDR5, and high bandwidth memory (HBM) [6]

Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is "Outperform the Market" [6] Core Views - The company is experiencing accelerated growth in enterprise-level storage, with a significant increase in revenue from this segment [3] - The company has successfully integrated its overseas business, enhancing the influence of the Lexar brand globally [3] - Continuous breakthroughs in self-developed chips are opening up the mid-to-high-end storage application market [4] - The company is expected to see a moderate recovery in storage prices in 2025, following a decline in 2024 [2] Financial Performance Summary - In Q1 2025, the company achieved revenue of 4.256 billion yuan, a year-over-year decrease of 4.41% but a quarter-over-quarter increase of 1.45% [2] - The non-recurring net profit attributable to the parent company was -202 million yuan, a year-over-year decline of 155.64% but a quarter-over-quarter improvement of 38.82% [2] - The gross margin for Q1 2025 was 10.35%, down 14.04 percentage points year-over-year and down 0.81 percentage points quarter-over-quarter [2] - The company's enterprise-level storage revenue reached 922 million yuan in 2024, a substantial year-over-year increase of 666.30% [3] - The global sales revenue of the Lexar brand in 2024 was 3.525 billion yuan, covering over 60 countries and regions, with a year-over-year growth of nearly 21% in Q1 2025 [3] Earnings Forecast and Financial Indicators - The projected net profit for 2025 is 534 million yuan, with corresponding PE ratios of 60.7 [5] - Revenue is expected to grow from 10.125 billion yuan in 2023 to 21.889 billion yuan in 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 25.3% [5] - The company's EBIT margin is projected to be 4.1% in 2025, with a net asset return (ROE) of 7.7% [5]

中国正在实施鼓励购买本国半导体存储器的补贴政策。调查公司TechInsights等的数据显示，中国产 DRAM和NAND比其他国家的产品便宜23%，如果考虑到补贴，最多能便宜50%左右…… 由于个人电脑和智能手机的销售增长乏力，NAND和DRAM也受到需求减弱的影响，消费者的 观望情绪也在一定程度上导致了价格下跌。据悉，DRAM中约有50%用于个人电脑和数据中心 的服务器设备，约35%用于智能手机。然而，近期市场出现变化，"有权威调研机构指出库存 可能会比预期更早减少，这成为契机，DDR4、DDR5以及高带宽存储器（HBM）等的需求正 在增强"，一位电子元器件贸易公司的负责人表示。 从NAND来看，一些大型制造商正在减产，缩减供应的趋势仍在持续。有观点认为，如果服务 器等的需求增强，半导体存储器的价格将在年内转向上涨。最早可能在4～6月的大宗交易价 格上出现触底的迹象。 版权声明：日本经济新闻社版权所有，未经授权不得转载或部分复制，违者必究。 在向中国销售其他国家产品时，不得不考虑中国产品的价格。因此，在作为半导体存储器一 大市场的中国降价将波及全球。从以NAND为主要零部件的存储装置固态硬盘(SSD)1～3 ...