Expectations for Samsung's Surprise Q2 Earnings: Which Stocks Will Benefit from KOSPI's 8,088 Recovery?
Samsung Electronics' Q2 preliminary earnings are expected to hit a record high due to exploding AI memory demand, driving the KOSPI index to recover the 8,088 level.
Ahead of Samsung Electronics' preliminary earnings announcement for Q2 2026, the company is highly expected to break its all-time quarterly earnings record, driven by the improving memory semiconductor market and a surge in AI infrastructure demand. This strong earnings expectation triggered robust bargain hunting by foreign and institutional investors, propelling the KOSPI index to swiftly recover the 8,088-point mark.
What's Behind Samsung's Expected Q2 Earnings Surprise?
According to market consensus, Samsung Electronics' operating profit for the second quarter is estimated at around 85 to 86 trillion won. This is a significant jump from the 57 trillion won recorded in the previous quarter. Key highlights include:
- Explosive Demand for AI Server Memory: Expanding AI data center investments by global big tech companies have led to a surge in demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and high-capacity enterprise SSDs.
- Rising Memory Prices: As production cuts take full effect, the average selling price (ASP) of DRAM and NAND flash showed double-digit percentage growth compared to the previous quarter.
- Offsetting One-off Costs: The company proved its overwhelming profitability even with the inclusion of massive one-off costs, such as the estimated 20 trillion won provision for special performance bonuses in the semiconductor (DS) division.
KOSPI's Settlement at 8,088 and Extreme Market Polarization
Despite recent extreme stock market volatility due to concerns over delayed US interest rate cuts and debates about a global AI peak, the domestic stock market used Samsung Electronics' earnings momentum as a shield. While funds concentrated on large-cap semiconductor blue chips with attractive valuations successfully defended the index, the alienation of KOSDAQ and small-to-mid-cap stocks has worsened, raising strong concerns about market supply and demand polarization.
Core FAQ
Q1. Will Samsung's strong performance lead to a broader rise in the domestic stock market in the second half?
In the short term, it will act as a strong driver supporting the bottom of the index. However, since market liquidity is currently leaning heavily toward specific large-cap stocks, additional macroeconomic improvements, such as strong export indicators and a Fed rate cut, are essential to spread into a comprehensive bull market.
Q2. Should investors jump into semiconductor-related stocks now?
The strong earnings of large chipmakers have already been largely priced into current valuations. Therefore, rather than aggressively chasing rallies, a more effective strategy is to selectively target fundamentally sound materials, parts, and equipment (SME) companies within the HBM value chain that have yet to see significant gains.