Overview
- Samsung reported record 2025 spending of 37.7 trillion won on R&D and 52.7 trillion won on facilities, with funds directed to projects such as the NRD-K R&D hub.
- The company said it shipped its first batch of mass-produced HBM4 chips in early 2026, targeting next-generation AI accelerators.
- Industry analysts say near-term capex is focused on cleanroom buildouts, line conversions and advanced packaging rather than immediate wafer output, leaving shortages likely through 2027.
- At Pyeongtaek, Samsung is upgrading P4 to the 1c DRAM process for HBM and advanced DRAM with a goal of exceeding 200,000 wafers per month by year-end, while P5 construction is back on track for completion in the first half of 2027 and mass production in late 2028.
- Samsung ended 2025 with 126.9 trillion won in cash and equivalents and named its top customers as Alphabet, Apple, Deutsche Telekom, Techtronic Industries and Supreme Electronics.