Доля смартфонов Samsung на южнокорейском рынке превысила 65%

Несмотря на то, что флагманский смартфон Galaxy S9 не установил рекордного уровня продаж В Южной Корее, он всё равно помог корпорации Samsung Electronics усилить свои позиции на домашнем рынке.
Если в 1-м квартале 2018 года доля Samsung составляла 58,2%, то во 2-м она увеличилась до 65,3%, при этом вендор отгрузил 3,9 миллиона смартфонов. 2-е место с результатом 1 миллион устройство досталось Apple, доля которой снизилась с 18,2% до 16,7%.
Ещё один южнокорейский производитель, компания LG реализовала во 2-м квартале 700 тысяч смартфонов, при этом её доля снизилась с 14,9% до 12,2%.
В 4-м квартале прошлого года Samsung, Apple и LG занимали 46%, 28,3% и 15,7% соответственно. Это значит, что за полгода доля Samsung выросла почти на 20%, что является весьма внушительным результатом.

Samsung grabs bigger share of domestic market in Q1

Samsung Electronics was able to grab a bigger share of the domestic market in the first quarter from an early release of its new flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone line, according to market surveyor Strategy Analytics on June 1.
Samsung shipped 3.9 million units of its smartphones in the quarter ending in March, accounting for 65,3% of the local market. Apple came next with 16,7% (1 million units), followed by domestic competitor LG Electronics with 12,2% (700,000 units), according to the provided data.
The figures compare with 58,2% for Samsung in the first quarter last year, 18,2% for Apple and 14,9% for LG.
In the fourth quarter, Samsung’s portion of the domestic market fell to 46%, while that of Apple reached 28,3% from the launch of the iPhone X and the iPhone 8. LG’s share for the quarter was 15,7%.
The bigger share for Samsung in the latest quarter was attributed to the early release of the Galaxy S9 series on March 16, which sold more than 1 million units in just about 60 days.

Samsung и другие крупные южнокорейские корпорации увеличили резервы наличности по результатам 1-го квартала 2018 года

Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor и другие крупные южнокорейские корпорации увеличили свои денежные резервы в 1-м квартале этого года, сообщает сегодня бизнес-портал The Investor. 
По данным исследовательского ресурса Chaebul.com, в общей сложности 47 компаний, в том числе Samsung и Hyundai, по состоянию на конец марта зарегистрировали рост накоплений, который составил 158,9 триллиона вон (148,10 миллиарда долларов США), что на 7,8% больше, чем годом ранее. 
Samsung Electronics увеличил резервы наличных на 17,2% в годовом исчислении, а именно до 32,3 триллиона вон по состоянию на конец марта 2018. 
Денежные резервы в Hana Financial Group, одной из крупнейших финансовых холдинговых компаний страны, выросли на 9,3% в годовом исчислении, до 9,9 триллиона вон. 
Автоконцерн Hyundai сообщил, что его денежные резервы выросли на 28,5% в годовом исчислении, до 8,3 триллиона вон.
В топ-10 также вошли Shinhan Financial Group и Hyundai Heavy Industries, чьи денежные резервы выросли на 11,9% и 9,4% соответственно.

Samsung, Hyundai increase cash reserves in Q1

Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and other major listed firms increased their cash piles in the first quarter of this year, data showed on May 28.
According to the data by market researcher Chaebul.com, a total of 47 listed firms, including Samsung and Hyundai, had a combined 158.9 trillion won (US$148.10 billion) in cash reserves as of the end of March, up 7.8 percent from a year ago.
Samsung Electronics saw its cash reserves rise 17.2 percent on-year to 32.3 trillion won at the end of March.
Cash reserves at Hana Financial Group, one of the nation’s major financial holding firms, gained 9.3 percent on-year to 9.9 trillion won. 
Hyundai saw its cash reserves climb 28.5 percent on-year to 8.3 trillion won. 
Among the top 10 listed firms, Shinhan Financial Group and Hyundai Heavy Industries also saw their cash reserves rise 11.9 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively, during the period.

Samsung получает рекордную прибыль 4-й квартал подряд

Южнокорейский техногигант Samsung Electronics опубликовал развёрнутый финансовый отчёт по итогам 1-го квартала 2018 года. Вендор фиксирует рекордную прибыль уже 4-й квартала подряд. Основным драйвером финансового роста корпорации остаётся полупроводниковый бизнес.
В январе-марте операционная прибыль Samsung составила 15,6 триллионов южнокорейских вон (14,4 миллиарда долларов США), что на 58% больше, чем годом ранее. Этот показатель стал рекордным в истории корпорации, обновив максимум предыдущей четверти, когда было получено 15,1 триллиона вон.
Чистая прибыль подскочила с 7,6 до 11,6 триллиона вон ($10,7 миллиарда). Увеличилась и выручка - почти на 20%, до 60,5 триллионов вон ($55,8 миллиарда).
Эксперты, опрошенные S&P Global Market Intelligence, в среднем прогнозировали чистую прибыль Samsung в 1-м квартале на уровне 11 триллионов вон, а выручку - в 60,2 триллиона.
Примерно 70% операционной прибыли Samsung пришлось на подразделение по выпуску чипов, а его доля в выручке составила около 1/3, что говорит о высокой рентабельности этого бизнеса.
Samsung ожидает, что выпуск полупроводников будет демонстрировать рост и во 2-м квартале. При этом получение прибыли в других подразделениях станет проблемой из-за рыночных условий и высокой конкуренции, предупредили в финансовые эксперты корпорации.
Мобильное подразделение Samsung получило операционную прибыль на уровне 3,77 триллиона вон ($3,5 миллиарда) по итогам первых 3-х месяцев 2018 года. Годом ранее прибыль составляла 2,07 триллиона вон. Производитель связывает этот подъём с выходом флагманского смартфона Galaxy S9 и сильными продажами предшествующей модели - Galaxy S8.
По данным аналитиков Canalys, Samsung поставил на глобальный рынок более 8 миллионов новых флагманских смартфонов Galaxy S9 и S9+ за первые 4 недели с момента старта продаж этих устройств в марте 2018 года.
Операционная прибыль дисплейного бизнеса Samsung сократилась в 3 раза - с 1,3 триллиона вон в 1-м квартале 2017 года до 410 миллиардов вон ($380 миллионов) год спустя. В корпорации объяснили регресс растущей конкуренцией на рынке жидкокристаллических панелей. При этом у ближайшего конкурента - компании LG Dispaly дела идут гораздо хуже. Впервые 6 лет она стала убыточной.
Направление потребительской электроники Samsung получило квартальную операционную прибыль на уровне 280 миллиардов вон ($260 миллионов), снизившись с 410 миллиардов вон в 1-й четверти 2017 года. Этот спад IT-гигант объясняет сокращением ассортимента продуктов в начальной и средней ценовых категориях.
Также в финансовом отчёте сообщается, что операционный убыток производителя аудиотехники Harman International Industries, которого Samsung поглотил в прошлом году, составил 40 миллиардов вон (37 миллионов долларов). Но это объясняется тем, что Harman много инвестировал в НИОКР, а отдача от этих вложений последует лишь через определённое время.

Samsung Electronics Announces First Quarter 2018 Results

Samsung Electronics posted KRW 60.56 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 15.64 trillion in operating profit for the first quarter of 2018.
First quarter revenue was primarily led by Samsung’s Memory Business and increased sales of its flagship mobile products, including the Galaxy S9.
Total revenue grew approximately 20 percent YoY to KRW 60.6 trillion. Operating profit for the quarter was a record high, posting an increase of KRW 5.7 trillion YoY. Profitability improved significantly in the quarter thanks to the Semiconductor Business and the early global launch of the Galaxy S9. All in all, the operating margin in the first quarter was 25.8 percent, up 6.2 percentage points YoY.
By business unit, the Semiconductor Business’ significant earnings performance was driven by demand for memory chipsets for high value-added servers and graphics products. The System LSI and Foundry businesses also contributed to first quarter earnings, backed by strong demand for chips used for smartphones and crypto-currency mining.
For the Display Panel segment, which manufactures OLED and LCD screens, profits were affected by slow demand for flexible OLED panels and greater competition between rigid OLED and LTPS LCD. An imbalance between supply and demand in the LCD market, brought on by competitors’ increased production capacity, also weighed on earnings.
For the IT & Mobile Communications Division, the early launch of the Galaxy S9 and solid sales of the Galaxy S8 smartphones resulted in considerable growth in earnings.
As for the Consumer Electronics Division, earnings by the Visual Display Business slid YoY following an adjustment in its TV lineup where some mid-range to low-end products were removed. As for the Digital Appliances Business, rising raw material prices and other factors impacted profitability.
For the second quarter, Samsung expects the Memory Business to maintain its strong performance, but generating overall earnings growth across the company will be a challenge due to weakness in the Display Panel segment and a decline in profitability in the Mobile Business amid rising competition in the high-end segment.
Demand for server and mobile DRAM is expected to be robust and orders for high-density storage chips will grow as the price of NAND softens in the second quarter. For the System LSI and Foundry businesses, shipments of 10-nanometer APs and crypto-currency mining chips will expand but earnings will be impacted due to sluggish demand for smartphone components.
The Display Panel segment will seek profitability in OLED by cutting costs and improving yield, amid the weak demand for flexible products. As for LCD panels, oversupply is anticipated despite an expected boon in TV sales in time with an upcoming major global soccer event.
In the Mobile Business, profitability is expected to decline QoQ due to stagnant sales of flagship models amid weak demand and an increase in marketing expenses. Meanwhile, earnings for the Consumer Electronics Division are projected to improve due to increased shipments of new products such as QLED TVs and strong seasonal demand for air conditioners.
The overall business outlook for the second half regarding components is positive, as the company looks forward to strong demand for DRAM and increased sales of OLED panels.
For set products, Samsung aims to sustain profitability by strengthening its market leadership in the sales of premium products despite challenging global market conditions.
In the mid to long term, Samsung will strengthen its business capabilities by delivering differentiated technology in the component business and solidifying its leadership in cutting-edge technologies such as AI and 5G. The company believes opportunities will widen for the set business, as digital devices become increasingly connected.
Total capital expenditure in the first quarter was KRW 8.6 trillion including KRW 7.2 trillion for the Semiconductor Business and KRW 0.8 trillion for the Display Panel segment.
Samsung has not yet finalized its capex plan for 2018, but the company expects it to decline YoY. Capex rose substantially in 2017 due to efforts to respond to market growth and emerging technologies, which included expanding the production capacity for flexible OLED panels.

Semiconductor Posts Solid Earnings on Strong Memory Performance

The Semiconductor businesses posted KRW 11.55 trillion in operating profit on consolidated revenue of KRW 20.78 trillion for the quarter.
Overall, the Memory Business achieved strong earnings, despite weak seasonality, thanks to a continuation of favorable market conditions as well as strong server demand.
For NAND, demand remained stable due to an expansion of cloud infrastructure and the continuation of a trend toward higher density solution products. Samsung posted solid earnings by concentrating on sales of high-density mobile storage and value-added solutions, including SSDs over 2TB for datacenters and over 8TB for enterprise, backed by a stable ramp-up of 64-layer 3D NAND production at the company’s Pyeongtaek plant.
For DRAM, demand stayed strong thanks to growth in servers and graphics products. Server demand remained high due to continuous expansion of datacenter infrastructure. Mobile demand saw a stable increase thanks to content growth across all segments while PC demand saw moderate growth in line with seasonal patterns. In graphics, total demand increased thanks to strong demand for both graphics and crypto-currency mining cards.
Looking at the second quarter outlook for NAND, total demand is expected to increase. Datacenters will remain a key driver for SSD demand, and mobile demand is forecast to be strong as the high-density trend continues. Samsung will continue to increase high-density server SSD supply and drive more eStorage strategies. Looking further ahead to the second half, server and mobile demand is expected to be solid, as the trend of SSD replacing HDD accelerates and storage expansion across smartphone segments continues. The company will focus on continued migration to 64-layer while also strengthening product and cost competitiveness and ramping up next-generation products in a timely manner.
As for the second quarter DRAM outlook, strong server demand is anticipated due to datacenter expansion in the US and China. Mobile demand, driven by content growth, is expected to remain solid. Samsung will focus on expediting qualification of 1Ynm and expanding 1Xnm products, while maintaining a flexible product mix. For the second half, demand from all applications is set to increase. Robust server demand will continue while AI and machine learning will drive demand for high-performance High Bandwidth Memory (HBM). For graphics, strong demand for consoles and VGA cards for crypto-currency mining will continue. Solid mobile demand is expected as manufacturers consider high-performance and high-density memory for flagship devices. Samsung will focus on flexible supply and investment, and expanding value-added sales through high-density server DRAM and differentiated products such as HBM2 and LPDDR4X.
For the System LSI Business, mobile DDI earnings declined due to slow OLED panel demand, but overall earnings increased amid strong demand for mobile processors and image sensors. In the second quarter, demand for premium smartphone components is expected to slow, and Samsung will focus on the stable supply of mobile processors and image sensors for flagship models. Looking further ahead to the second half, demand for image sensors is expected to rise as manufacturers increasingly adopt dual cameras and 3-stack FRS sensors. The company will focus on sustaining growth in mobile processor sales and expanding its offerings from mobile to areas such as IoT, VR and automotive.
For the Foundry Business, despite weak seasonality, total earnings grew QoQ due to increased demand for High Performance Computing (HPC) chipsets. During the quarter, the company also broke ground on an EUV-line at its Hwaseong plant to address future demand for 7-nano and below products. In the second quarter, solid demand for high performance chipsets is expected. Samsung plans to expand HPC and 10-nano mobile products and promote FD-SOI and 8-inch processes. In 2018, despite slowing mobile demand, the company aims to diversify its customer and application bases and continue to offer derivative processes, including those for 8- and 11-nano chips. Through these efforts, the company expects to achieve over USD 10 billion in sales and maintain a strong second place in the foundry market in 2018.

Display to Improve Production Efficiency

The Display Panel business posted KRW 7.54 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.41 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.
For the OLED business, QoQ earnings declined due to a slowdown in demand and intensified competition between rigid OLED and LTPS LCD panels.
For the LCD business, despite a decrease in shipments under weak seasonality and a continued decline in LCD panel ASPs, earnings remained flat QoQ thanks to cost reductions and an expansion in the sales portion of value-added LCD products, boosted particularly by UHD and large-sized panels.
Looking ahead to the second quarter, amid forecasts for weak demand for OLED panels, Samsung will strive to secure profitability by reducing costs and improving production efficiency. For LCD, under unfavorable supply-demand conditions due to capacity expansions in the industry, the company will focus on developing value-added and differentiated products as well as reducing costs.
For the second half, OLED panels in the smartphone industry are expected to see a rebound in demand, especially as demand for flexible panels remains strong in the high-end segment. Under these circumstances, Samsung will strengthen cost competitiveness and diversify its customer base through new products and technologies in order to increase market share. The company will also aim to secure new growth engines by applying its competencies in new applications on top of smartphones.
For LCD in the second half, while the company foresees market uncertainties due to growing competition and capacity expansions, Samsung will continue to strengthen its strategic partnerships with major business partners and differentiate its value-added products, including large-sized and high resolution TV panels.

Mobile Earnings to Decrease in Q2 with Higher Marketing Costs

The IT & Mobile Communications Division posted KRW 28.45 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 3.77 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.
While overall market demand for smartphones and tablets declined during weak seasonality, Samsung’s smartphone shipments increased QoQ due to an early release of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ as well as solid sales of the Galaxy S8. As a result of increased sales, mainly driven by premium models, revenue and profit significantly increased both QoQ and YoY. Earnings for the Networks Business also improved due to LTE investments from major overseas partners and an expansion of new solutions for optimization of network operations.
Looking ahead to the second quarter, Samsung expects earnings to decrease QoQ due to a slowdown in sales of its flagship models and increased marketing expenses to address the situation. Samsung will aim to maintain sales momentum of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ by expanding the operation of experiential stores, strengthening the cooperation with partners, and reinforcing promotional programs such as trade-ins.
For the second half, Samsung will seek to strengthen sales in the premium market by launching a new flagship model and maintaining long-tail sales of the Galaxy S9, S9+, and flagship models from the previous year. In the mass segment, Samsung will introduce new models optimized for specific markets and strengthen both offline and online sales channels. Moreover, Samsung will continuously invest in expanding the Bixby 2.0 open ecosystem to provide a seamless multi-device experience for consumers.
For the Networks Business, the company expects increased earnings QoQ for the second quarter and will focus on continued growth by expanding its LTE business and leading the world’s first commercialization of 5G.

Consumer Electronics to Focus on Premium Products
  
The Consumer Electronics Division posted KRW 9.74 trillion in consolidated revenue and KRW 0.28 trillion in operating profit for the quarter.
Overall, the TV market decreased QoQ due to slow seasonality following the year-end holiday, but grew YoY due to increased demand in emerging markets such as the CIS, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Although earnings were slightly down YoY, due to a restructuring of the sales mix with a defocus on the entry lineup, the company maintained its leading position in the premium TV market by continuing to achieve high market share in the USD 2,500 and above premium segment, thanks to expanded sales of flagship models, including QLED and ultra-large screen TVs.
Looking to the second quarter, TV market demand is projected to deliver YoY growth, driven mainly by demand momentum from the major global soccer event and growth in emerging markets. Samsung will aim to improve results by expanding sales of new models, particularly during the soccer competition. For 2018, the market is forecast to slightly grow. With the addition of the company’s launch of 8K and Micro LED TVs in the second half, Samsung will seek to solidify its premium leadership and focus on ensuring sustainable and profitable growth in the mid to long term.
For the Digital Appliances Business, the market saw moderate growth in the first quarter due to increased demand in both developed and emerging markets. Samsung’s sales improved YoY thanks to strong sales of premium products, including the FlexWash washing machine, Cube air purifier and system air conditioners. However, earnings decreased slightly YoY due to an increase in prices of raw materials and operating costs of the new factory in North America.
Looking to the second quarter, Samsung will aim to accelerate growth by expanding its premium lineup, including QuickDrive washing machine and POWERStick PRO vacuum cleaner, and by increasing air conditioner sales during the peak season. For 2018, the company will continue to focus on strengthening premium sales in advanced markets, reinforcing its B2B business for built-in appliances and system air conditioners, and expanding its online business.

※ Consolidated Sales and Operating Profit by Segment based on K-IFRS (2016~2018 1Q)

Note 1: Sales for each business include intersegment sales
Note 2: CE (Consumer Electronics), IM (IT & Mobile Communications), DS (Device Solutions), DP (Display Panel)
Note 3: Information on annual earnings is stated according to the business divisions as of 2018.
Note 4: Earnings from the Health & Medical Equipment Business (HME) are excluded from the CE Division in 1Q 2018.

По итогам 1-го квартала Samsung вновь достиг рекордной прибыли

В 1-м квартале операционная прибыль южнокорейского гиганта Samsung Electronics выросла на 58% и достигла рекордных $14,7 миллиарда, сообщают южнокорейские СМИ. Тем не менее сегодня ценные бумаги корпорации немного просели на фоне распространившихся слухов, что во 2-м квартале прибыль Samsung останется на том же уровне или снизится. Опасения вызваны тем, что в нынешнем году может замедлиться рост доходов от производства микропроцессоров, а именно на этот сектор приходится львиная доля прибыли.
В официальном пресс-релизе Samsung сообщает, что операционная прибыль в 1-м квартале выросла на 58%, до 15,6 триллионов южнокорейских вон ($14,7 миллиарда). Это значительно превышает ожидания опрошенных агентством Reuters аналитиков — они в среднем предсказывали операционную прибыль на уровне 14,5 триллионов вон.
Выручка в 1-м квартале составила 60 триллионов вон ($56,5 миллиарда), что на 19% больше, чем годом ранее. Как и в прошлом году, в значительной мере столь сильный рост достигнут за счёт хороших показателей подразделения по производству микропроцессоров — на это подразделение приходится до 75% оперативной прибыли. Но именно это и вызывает беспокойство инвесторов — они ожидают, что резкий рост этого рынка может в ближайшее время прекратиться.
На пятничных торгах 6 апреля акции Samsung снизились на 0,7% из-за того, что, согласно прогнозам аналитиков, в следующем квартале прибыль корпорации останется на том же уровне или даже несколько снизится. Это может быть связано с замедлением роста цен на чипы памяти DRAM, а также со значительными маркетинговыми затратами на продвижение флагманского смартфона Galaxy S9. При этом, как отметил аналитик компании HMC Investment & Securities Грег Рох, «хотя рост цен на чипы памяти замедлился после достижения пика, более низкие цены могут стимулировать спрос на чипы. Кроме того, Samsung в состоянии снизить издержки для сохранения повышения прибыли».
Южнокорейское агентство Yonhap также сообщило, что в пятницу прокуратура Южной Кореи провела обыск в офисе Samsung Electronics Service, одной из дочерних компаний Samsung. Этот обыск — часть расследования в отношении Samsung по подозрению в том, что корпорация саботирует создание профсоюзов в своих дочерних компаниях. Это очередная акция лево-популистского правительственного кабинета, пришедшего к власти после так называемого "коррупционного скандала". На фоне развёрнутой истерии в прессе, поднятой леворадикалами, экс-президент Южной Кореи Кореи Пак Кын-хи была отстранена от власти и осуждена на 24 года тюремного заключения.
Независимые эксперты отмечают, что безрассудные действия нынешнего правительства во главе с президентом Мун Джей-ином по "отстрелу чеболей" может привести к дестабилизации экономики страны и очередному политическому кризису в обозримой перспективе.
Вместе с тем, ряд аналитиков полагает, что в свзи с запуском новых продуктов во втором полугодии (в том числе революционных модульных телевизоров на базе самой перспективной технологии MicroLED, смарт-акустики и часов Gear S4), Samsung может нарастить прибыль в секторах, не связанных с производством чипов. Более того, наблюдатели отмечают, что снижение спроса на полупроводники недальновидные "оракулы" предрекают ещё с середины 2017 года, но на практике цены только растут, пусть и не такими темпами, как раньше.

Samsung Electronics operating profit hits record high in Q1

Samsung Electronics Co. said Friday its first-quarter operating profit is presumed to have set another record by rising 57.58 percent from the previous year, apparently on the back of improved performance by its mobile division, with its chip arm also contributing to earnings.
The operating profit was estimated at 15.6 trillion won (US$14.6 billion) for the January-March period, compared with 9.89 trillion won posted a year earlier, the South Korean tech giant said through its earnings guidance report.
Sales moved up 18.69 percent to 60 trillion won, compared with 50.5 trillion won in the same three months of 2017.
The operating profit hovered above the market's estimate of 14.5 trillion won, which was compiled by Yonhap Infomax, the financial arm of Yonhap News Agency, on 20 local brokerage houses.
The operating profit marked a 3-percent rise from the previous record of 15.1 trillion won posted in the fourth quarter of 2017. The latest number represents the fourth consecutive quarter in which Samsung has posted record operating profits.
Samsung did not offer performance and net profit estimate reports for each business division. The company will deliver its finalized earnings report later this month.
For the January-March period of 2018, analysts said Samsung probably posted better earnings from its chips and mobile divisions from a year earlier.
In the first quarter of 2017, the device solution division, which covers chips, posted an operating profit of 7.59 trillion won, followed by the IT and mobile arm with 2.07 trillion won. The consumer electronics division posted an operating profit of 380 billion won over the period.
Industry watchers presume the better-than-expected earnings of Samsung Electronics in the first quarter mainly came on the back of a strong showing by the company's mobile business. The tech giant released the flagship Galaxy S9 in March, compared with the predecessor Galaxy S8, which hit shelves in April 2017, leading to relatively higher sales.
"The IT and mobile division may have posted an operating profit of 3 trillion won (in the first quarter of 2018) due to demand for the Galaxy S9 smartphone, which is estimated to have sold 10 million units," DB Financial Investment said in its latest report.
Samsung posted weaker earnings from the smartphone segment due to the heightened competition with Apple in the fourth quarter of last year at 2.4 trillion won.
"The conservative outlook for the memory chip industry, which started in the second half of 2017, is likely to become groundless, due to the weaker-than-expected supply and the rising demand from the server segment," DB Financial Investment said.
Analysts estimated that Samsung's operating profit for chips alone may have reached some 11 trillion won, led by sustained global demand for DRAM and NAND flash products.
The display business of the device solution division, on the other hand, is presumed to have posted weaker earnings due to sluggish sales of Apple Inc.'s iPhone X. Samsung is a major supplier of OLED panels for the product.
As for the upcoming quarters, analysts, which estimate the sales of the Galaxy S9 to account for only 60-70 percent of the predecessor, claim that the market needs to maintain a wait-and-see approach on the mobile arm.
The rising challenges in the Chinese market also remain a hurdle for Samsung. Industry tracker Strategy Analytics estimated earlier that Samsung took up only 0.8 percent of the Chinese smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2017, falling below 1 percent for the first time.
Chinese local brands, including Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi, took up a whopping 70 percent over the cited period.
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who is the heir apparent of South Korea's largest business group, has been resuming his activities after being released from prison in February. He had been put behind bars for nearly a year due to his connection to the corruption scandal of impeached former President Park Geun-hye.
Industry watchers, however, said Lee may face a bumpy road ahead due to the trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, along with the South Korean government's bid to reform the country's family-controlled business groups.
Shares of Samsung Electronics closed 0.7 percent lower Friday at 2,420,000 won. The first-quarter guidance was released before the market opened.

Samsung отчитается о значительном увеличении операционной прибыли по итогам 1-го квартала 2018 года

В пятницу, 6 апреля, Samsung Electronics опубликует предварительные финансовые результаты по итогам 1-го квартала 2018 года. Рыночные эксперты ожидают рост южнокорейского техногиганта почти на 50% благодаря продолжающемуся буму на мировом рынке чипов памяти.
Согласно опросу агентства Thomson Reuters, в котором приняли участие 17 аналитиков, операционная прибыль Samsung, крупнейшего в мире чипмейкера и производителя смартфонов, в январе-марте 2018 года прогнозируется на уровне 14,5 триллиона южнокорейских вон (13,7 миллиарда долларов). Это на 46% больше показателей за тот же период 2017 года, когда было заработано 9,9 триллиона вон, но меньше рекордного результата 4-го квартала 2017 (15,15 триллиона вон).
Ожидается, что почти 3/4 из указанной суммы - около 10,7 триллиона вон - обеспечит ключевой полупроводниковый бизнес Samsung. По оценке аналитиков, с каждого доллара, который корпорация выручит от продажи DRAM-памяти, операционная прибыль составит около 70 центов.
Аналитики считают, что полупроводниковое подразделение позволит компенсировать традиционное сезонное замедление, которое наблюдается в начале года на рынке смартфонов и связанных с ними компонентов, таких как дисплеи. Предполагается, что благодаря чипам, Samsung в этом году установит новый рекорд по прибыли, хотя темпы роста замедлятся по сравнению с внушительным ростом на 83%, зарегистрированным в 2017 году.
"Чипы памяти уже не будут дорожать так стремительно, как в прошлом году, однако увеличение поставок и снижение себестоимости обеспечат дальнейший рост доходов полупроводникового бизнеса Samsung", - считает аналитик Yuanta Securities Ли Джей-юн (Lee Jae-yun). По оценкам специалистов, операционная прибыль Samsung в 2018 году увеличится на 15%.
Между тем, в дисплейном бизнесе Samsung ожидается спад из-за слабого спроса на смартфоны iPhone X, которые, как известно, комплектуются OLED-экранами Samsung. По данным аналитиков WitsView, из-за недостаточно высоких продаж флагманской модели Apple сократила закупки OLED-панелей у Samsung до 60-65% от первоначального объёма.
Что касается мобильного бизнеса Samsung, на долю которого приходится около 40% выручки вендора, то аналитики прогнозируют ощутимый подъём доходов благодаря флагманской линейке Galaxy S9/S9+, выход которой в 2018-м году состоялся на 5 недель раньше прошлогоднего дебюта Galaxy S8. По оценкам Strategy Analytics, в 1-м квартале Samsung поставил на глобальный рынок примерно 9,3 млн смартфонов новой серии.

Samsung's Q1 profit seen at $13.7 bln

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is set to forecast a near 50 percent jump in quarterly profit on Friday as an unprecedented rally in the global memory chip market should outweigh a slowdown in smartphones and related components sales.
Earnings from its bread-and-butter semiconductor business will amount to almost three quarters of its entire operating profit of $13.7 billion, as analysts estimated Samsung would book about 70 cents in operating profit for every $1 of DRAM chips sold.
"Although memory chip price growth is expected to slow down from last year's boom, increased shipments and cost-cutting will fuel further profit growth in Samsung's semiconductor business and lift profits to another record year," said Lee Jae-yun, an analyst at Yuanta Securities Korea.
The world's largest semiconductor and smartphone maker is expected to forecast a 46 percent jump in operating profit in the January-March period to 14.5 trillion won ($13.7 billion), according to a Thomson Reuters survey of 17 analysts.
This compares to an operating profit of 9.9 trillion won in the same period last year, but is lower than the record quarterly profit of 15.15 trillion won in the previous quarter.
The company will issue earnings guidance on Friday ahead of full details on its performance later in April.
Its chip business is likely to report about 10.7 trillion won in operating profit, as strong DRAM demand is seen offsetting falling prices in NAND chips, analysts said.
Lower-than-expected iPhone X sales made Apple Inc cut its OLED panels purchase for 2018 to only 60-65 percent of the original purchase plan, which led to a decrease in Samsung's OLED panel shipments forecast, according to Julian Lee, an analyst at research provider WitsView.
Samsung is widely known as the exclusive supplier of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens for the high-end smartphone.
As for the mobile business which accounts for about 40 percent of the South Korean firm's revenue, Samsung shipped 9.3 million Galaxy S9 series smartphones globally during the quarter, according to estimates by Strategy Analytics.
Analysts said early market reception appeared favorable, with sales seen similar to last year's S8.
The S9, which went on sale in most markets in mid-March, is likely to have a considerable on-year impact on first quarter profit as it was released a full 5 weeks earlier in 2018 than the S8 in 2017.