Samsung Electronics scores twin records

In 2010 sales, operating profit

By Kim Da-ye

Samsung Electronics posted record high sales and operating profit last year, Korea’s top technology firm said in a report Friday.

For 2010, Samsung recorded an estimated 153.76 trillion won in sales, up 12.8 percent from 2009, with operating profit tallied at 17.28 trillion won, a rise of 58.1 percent. Both are records for the firm.

In the fourth quarter Samsung saw operating profit fall 38.27 percent to 3 trillion won from 4.86 trillion won the previous quarter — a 12.8 percent drop from 2009.

The total revenue for the fourth quarter was estimated to set a record at 41 trillion won — up 1.91 percent from 40.23 trillion won in the third.

The decline in operating profit is attributed to the fact that the fourth quarter was an off-peak season for electronics against the background of an oversupply of memory chips.

The quarterly operating profit of 3 trillion won is below expectations. Mirae Asset Securities had forecast it to reach 3.37 trillion won.

“In general, sales were high and operating profit was low in the fourth quarter because Christmas and Thanksgiving boosted sales but it involved bigger marketing costs,” a Samsung official told The Korea Times. “Besides, semiconductor prices fell by a large margin.”

The overall robust performance lifted the firm’s stock price, with its market valuation ranking 31st among 2,462 global companies included in the MSCI index. That indicates the firm is among the top 1 percent of international firms in terms of market capitalization.

POSCO ranked 185th and Hyundai Motor, 210th.

Analysts expect that Samsung Electronics’ earnings will improve this year as semiconductor prices have nearly hit bottom, and the firm’s lineup of smart gadgets will generate more income.

Jay Kim, an analyst specializing in semiconductors at Mirae, said, “Investors’ belief that Samsung will enjoy a stronger market power in the semiconductor sector is heightening, and the expectation over more income from its smartphones and Galaxy Tab sales is still valid.”

Analysts say that the extended cut-throat competition in the memory chip sector will only strengthen Samsung because, in order to secure a stable supply of DRAMs, electronics manufacturers will have to rely more on the company. The firm not only produces the most chips, but is also equipped with competitiveness in production costs and ample liquidity as the largest firm in Korea.

삼성전자, 2010년 매출, 영업이익 사상 최대치

세계 최대 반도체회사 삼성전자가 2010년 사상 최대치 매출, 영업이익을 달성했다.

삼성전자는 작년 4분기 매출 41조원, 영업이익 3조원의 실적을 올리며, 연간 매출 153.76조원, 영업이익 17.28조원을 기록했다. 연간 매출이 150조원을 돌파한 것은 사상 처음이다.

4분기 매출은 3분기보다 높았지만, 영업이익은 4.86조원에서 3조원으로 38퍼센트 감소했다. 삼성전자 관계자는 4분기 특성상 크리스마스, 추수감사절에 매출이 늘지만 마케팅 비용이 늘어나 매출은 고점을 찍고, 영업이익은 감소한 것이라고 설명했다.

이에 더해 반도체시장이 과열되면서 메모리칩가격이 하락하면서, 영업이익을 더 깎아내렸다.

2011년 전망은 밝다. 출혈경쟁이 이어지면 반도체시장에서 큰 부분을 차지하고 있고, 유동성이 풍부한 삼성전자가 가격협상에 있어서 우위적 위치를 가질 수 있기 때문이다.