Despite a decline in sales of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, the South Korean giant plans to achieve a record operating profit of close to 7 billion euros.
Growth slows perhaps in smartphones but Samsung has other strings to his bow. The rising prices of memory chips and semiconductors should indeed allow the South Korean electronics giant to garner a record operating profit in the third quarter, about 7 billion euros.
The world number one multifunction memory cards and flat-screen TVs phones, expects an operating profit of 10.100 billion won profit (EUR 6.91 billion), e n up 25% compared to the same period in 2012 . The operating profit was also up 6% from the previous quarter, when the group had already announced record profits , thanks to sales of its flagship smartphone, the Galaxy 3.
According to analysts, the group has certainly benefited from the rising prices of memory chips and semiconductors, while its flagship product line, the Galaxy S smartphones are facing increasing market saturation. If the S4 appears to be slowing , Samsung manages to maintain its number one position in this sector increasingly crowded because, unlike his great rival, the American Apple, its range of smartphones also includes medium-end devices, more affordable prices.
Always the period under review, the Group's sales are expected to total 59,000 billion won, up 13% compared to the July-September quarter of 2012. Samsung will release its final results by the end of the month.
A market share of 33% in smartphones
These figures are "slightly better than expected," said Choi Do-Yeon, the brokerage Kyobo Securities. "The activity of semiconductors appears to be rising while the stagnant mobile is less pronounced than expected," the analyst added.
Analysts estimate that between 85 and 89 million units the number of smartphones sold in South Korea in the third quarter. In the second quarter, the group had a worldwide market share in this sector 33.1%, and well ahead of number two, the U.S. Apple and its 13.6% market share, according to Strategy Analytics.Samsung firm does not disclose the number of units it sells multifunction phones.
