SEOUL, South Korea / ConSynSer / – Samsung Electronics’ cash assets are estimated to have hit a record 214.8 trillion won ($157.5 billion) at the end of the third quarter, industry data showed on Sunday. That makes the chip giant the first Korean company to cross the 200 trillion won mark. That threshold is equal to about $146.6 billion. The holdings include cash and cash equivalents plus short-term financial instruments. Booming demand for AI memory chips drove the increase.
The cash pile grew by 24.8 trillion won from roughly 190 trillion won at the end of June. A year earlier, at the end of September 2025, Samsung held 108.5 trillion won, so the total has nearly doubled in 12 months. The company’s total assets reached 791.8 trillion won as of end-September. That was an increase of 32.4 trillion won from three months earlier.
Samsung Electronics also strengthened its balance sheet in the quarter. Borrowings dropped by 4.6 trillion won, lifting net cash to 197.6 trillion won, Seoul Economic Daily reported. The debt ratio fell to 29% from 31%. Revenue hit a quarterly record of 195.3 trillion won, while operating profit reached 107.4 trillion won. The chip business accounted for 106.5 trillion won of that profit.
Strong balance sheet backs payouts
Samsung said in August that 90 trillion to 110 trillion won would be available for shareholder returns in 2026. Market watchers estimate its current cash is enough to fully fund the top of that range. Around 35 trillion won in returns had been executed or confirmed by the end of September, UPI reported. A further 55 trillion to 75 trillion won remains available for the final months of the year. Industry observers expect Samsung to use the upper end of the range.
Investment is also set to reach a record. Spending on chipmaking infrastructure and research and development is expected to exceed 100 trillion won this year. That includes 84.4 trillion won in facility investment, with memory production capacity a central target. Yuanta Securities forecasts that facility spending will climb 28% to 108 trillion won in 2027. Samsung said extra capital spending in 2027 was unlikely to add meaningfully to chip bit output in 2028. The company also plans to start up its first fab in Taylor, Texas.
AI demand keeps memory market tight
Samsung expects the chip supercycle to last through next year, citing continued AI investment and a memory supply crunch. It said high-bandwidth memory production allocated for delivery in 2027 had already sold out. The company has laid out a next-generation memory roadmap for AI systems. Korea’s chip exports soared 259% in October as global buyers raced to secure supply.
Samsung will announce its shareholder return policy for next year at a board meeting scheduled for January. Investors will watch for the mix of dividends and share buybacks in the new plan. Demand for advanced foundry processes at 8 nanometers and below is also expected to exceed capacity next year. The company’s record cash position leaves it well placed to fund both expansion and returns.