Seoul:Samsung Electronics Co. is set to become the first South Korean company with cash assets exceeding 200 trillion won, boosted by the ongoing artificial intelligence-led chip supercycle.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the chip giant's cash and cash equivalents were estimated at 214.8 trillion won by the end of the third quarter, marking an increase of 24.8 trillion won from the 190 trillion won recorded three months earlier. This figure nearly doubles the 108.5 trillion won reported at the end of the third quarter in 2025.
The total assets owned by Samsung Electronics reached 791.8 trillion won as of the end of September, an increase of 32.4 trillion won over the previous quarter. Market analysts suggest that Samsung's current cash assets are sufficient to support the company's major shareholder return policy, which was announced in August and anticipates returns between 90 trillion won and 110 trillion won in 2026.
The company is also making significant investments in chipmaking infrastructure and research and development, with expected expenditures surpassing 100 trillion won this year. Of this amount, 84.4 trillion won is earmarked for the expansion of its memory production facilities.
Samsung Electronics anticipates that the semiconductor supercycle will persist into next year, driven by ongoing investments in AI and a memory supply crunch. The company plans to reveal its shareholder policy for the upcoming year at a board meeting in January.