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Samsung Electronics Faces 39% Drop in Q2 Profit Amid Weak AI Chip Sales

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Samsung Electronics is expected to report a 39% decline in its second-quarter operating profit, largely due to delays in supplying advanced memory chips to AI chip leader Nvidia, industry analysts said. The South Korean tech giant is forecast to announce an operating profit of 6.3 trillion won ($4.62 billion) for April to June, marking its lowest earnings in six quarters, according to LSEG SmartEStimate.

This downturn has raised concerns about Samsung’s ability to compete with rivals like SK Hynix and Micron in the rapidly growing market for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in artificial intelligence data centers. While its competitors have seen strong demand, Samsung’s growth has been limited by its heavy reliance on the China market, where U.S. export restrictions have curbed sales of advanced chips.

Analysts point out that Samsung’s latest HBM chips, specifically the HBM3E 12-high version, have not yet received Nvidia’s certification, slowing supply to the U.S. AI chip leader. Ryu Young-ho, senior analyst at NH Investment & Securities, noted that Samsung’s shipments to Nvidia are unlikely to be significant in 2025. Samsung has, however, started supplying the new chip to AMD since June.

Despite challenges in the chip segment, Samsung’s smartphone sales remain steady, supported by stockpiling ahead of potential U.S. tariffs on imported devices. Nonetheless, ongoing U.S. trade policies, including proposed tariffs on non-U.S.-made smartphones and possible restrictions on technology exports to Samsung’s Chinese plants, continue to create business uncertainty.

Samsung’s shares have underperformed this year compared to the KOSPI index, rising about 19% against the KOSPI’s 27.3% increase. As of Monday, Samsung shares dipped 1.9%, while the KOSPI rose 0.3%.

US Servers in Singapore Fraud Case May Contain Nvidia Chips, Minister Says

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Servers involved in a fraud case recently announced by Singapore were supplied by U.S. firms and may contain advanced Nvidia chips, Singapore’s Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said on Monday.

Three men, including a Chinese national, were charged last week in Singapore with fraud linked to these servers. The servers, supplied by Dell Technologies and Super Micro Computer to companies based in Singapore, were then sent to Malaysia, though it is unclear if Malaysia was the final destination.

Shanmugam noted the authorities are investigating the case independently following an anonymous tip-off. Singapore has asked U.S. officials to confirm if the servers contained U.S. export-controlled items and expressed willingness to cooperate in any joint investigation.

This case is part of a broader investigation involving 22 individuals and companies suspected of false representation, amid concerns over organized smuggling of AI chips, particularly to China. The U.S. is probing whether Chinese company DeepSeek used U.S. chips prohibited from export to China. Earlier reports revealed that Chinese research institutions obtained Nvidia’s advanced AI chips embedded in servers made by Dell, Super Micro, and Gigabyte Technology.

Singapore is Nvidia’s second-largest market after the U.S., accounting for 18% of Nvidia’s latest fiscal year revenue, though actual shipments to Singapore represent less than 2% since the country functions largely as an invoicing hub.

Some AI industry figures, like Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, allege DeepSeek has as many as 50,000 higher-end Nvidia chips banned for export to China, though these claims remain unverified. DeepSeek stated it legally purchased Nvidia H800 chips in 2023 and disclosed use of Nvidia A100 chips in its supercomputing AI cluster.

Dell stated it enforces strict trade compliance and takes action if customers violate obligations but declined further comment due to the ongoing investigation. Super Micro affirmed compliance with U.S. export controls and said it investigates any unauthorized re-exports. Nvidia declined to comment, and DeepSeek has not responded to requests for comment.

Nvidia Briefly Hits Historic $3.92 Trillion Market Value Amid AI Boom

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Nvidia (NVDA.O) briefly surged to a market capitalization of $3.92 trillion on Thursday, putting it on track to become the most valuable company ever, fueled by Wall Street’s strong optimism around artificial intelligence (AI).

Key Highlights

  • Nvidia’s shares rose as much as 2.4% to $160.98, surpassing Apple’s record closing market cap of $3.915 trillion set on December 26, 2024.

  • At the time of the latest update, shares were up 1.5% at $159.60, with a market cap just under Apple’s record, at $3.89 trillion.

  • Nvidia’s AI-focused chips are in high demand for training large AI models, driving significant growth for the Santa Clara-based company.

Market Context

  • Microsoft holds the second spot in market value at $3.7 trillion, with shares rising 1.7% to $499.56.

  • Apple sits third with a market cap of $3.19 trillion after a 0.8% increase.

  • Other tech giants racing to build AI data centers and dominate AI include Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Tesla, all fueling demand for Nvidia’s high-end processors.

Industry and Stock Insights

  • Joe Saluzzi, co-manager at Themis Trading, remarked on the incredible scale of market valuations, noting the AI-driven surge pushing companies into multi-trillion-dollar territory.

  • Nvidia’s valuation has nearly octupled in four years, from $500 billion in 2021 to almost $4 trillion.

  • The company’s value now exceeds the combined stock markets of Canada and Mexico and all publicly listed companies in the UK.

  • Nvidia trades at about 32 times analysts’ forward earnings—below its five-year average of 41—reflecting growing earnings estimates outpacing stock gains.

  • The stock has rebounded over 68% since early April lows caused by trade uncertainty.

Broader Impact

  • Nvidia’s growth underscores Wall Street’s massive bets on generative AI technologies, as its hardware forms the backbone of many AI systems.

  • Nvidia now makes up 7% of the S&P 500 index; combined with Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet, these five tech giants constitute 28% of the index.

  • Despite optimism, some experts like Kim Forrest of Bokeh Capital Partners caution that current AI models might not fully live up to the hype.

Company Background

  • Founded in 1993 by CEO Jensen Huang, Nvidia evolved from a niche graphics chipmaker to a leading AI technology company.

  • The company replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average last November, marking a significant industry shift toward AI-focused semiconductor development.