Overview
- Samsung said its 2026 spend tops 110 trillion won, up about 22% from last year and the first time its annual investment exceeds 100 trillion won.
- The plan centers on AI semiconductors, prioritizing high‑bandwidth memory alongside foundry and advanced packaging as part of a one‑stop chip strategy.
- Factory work is accelerating with efficiency upgrades at P4, equipment installation for P5, new capacity in Yongin, and a Taylor, Texas foundry that aims to begin operations by year‑end.
- Analysts say the 2026 budget outstrips TSMC’s planned spending and heightens competition with SK Hynix in HBM, with Samsung also expanding ties that include an AMD collaboration and a foundry deal linked to Groq noted by Nvidia.
- Samsung reaffirmed shareholder returns with an expected 9.8 trillion won regular dividend for 2026, signaled appetite for M&A in robotics, MedTech, automotive electronics and HVAC, and acknowledged industry concerns over tighter supply of conventional memory.