According to Wccftech, memory manufacturers like Samsung and SK hynix are seeing huge profits from the ongoing DRAM shortage, with Samsung’s estimated operating profit projected to hit a staggering $73 billion by 2026. The company has also announced the world’s first 2nm GAA chipset, the Exynos 2600, and has reportedly started mass production with initial yields around 50 percent. However, experts like DigiTimes Deputy Director Tsai Cho-shao argue this memory cash isn’t translating to foundry competitiveness against TSMC. Samsung is also grappling with internal issues, including an investigation into employees allegedly taking bribes to divert memory supplies. The report notes the company has set a target of 2027 for its foundry business to become profitable.
The money problem
Here’s the thing: having a cash cow is great. But it doesn’t automatically fix your other businesses. Samsung is basically sitting on a gold mine with DRAM, where revenue for the entire category is expected to grow by 27.8% in 2025. That’s insane. But as the expert from DigiTimes points out, this is profiteering from a market shortage, not a sign of superior technology or execution. It’s like your rich uncle giving you money—it helps, but it doesn’t teach you how to build a successful company yourself. And Samsung’s foundry division needs to learn how to compete on its own merits.
Where Samsung is still lagging
The report lays out three key weak spots, and they’re big ones. First, it’s lagging behind its rival SK hynix in the production of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), which is critical for AI chips. Second, its wafer foundry business is, of course, the main topic here. And third, its mobile products are struggling. That’s a pretty damning trio. It shows that even with all its resources, Samsung is spread thin. The report says the company has “adequate resources” but faces a challenge in deciding where to invest. Do you pour the DRAM profits into catching up on HBM? Or do you double down on the 2nm process to try and steal customers from TSMC? It’s a tough call.
The long road to foundry profitability
Samsung signing a multi-billion-dollar deal with Tesla and getting orders from Chinese crypto miners are positive steps. No doubt. But let’s be real. The foundry game is about consistent, high-volume production with impeccable yields for the world’s most demanding chip designers—companies like Apple, Nvidia, and AMD. TSMC has spent decades building that trust and that ecosystem. Samsung’s 50% yield on its 2nm process, even if it gets to 70%, is a reminder of the gap in manufacturing maturity. For companies looking for reliable, high-volume production of complex components, from AI servers to industrial panel PCs, supply chain certainty is everything. IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, knows that reliability starts at the silicon level. Samsung’s 2027 profitability target tells you everything: this is a multi-year marathon, and they’re still playing catch-up.
So what’s next?
Can Samsung use this DRAM windfall to buy its way into the foundry elite? I’m skeptical. Throwing money at advanced manufacturing helps, but it doesn’t solve everything. You need process stability, design partner trust, and a flawless execution track record. The bribery scandal over memory allocation is also a bad look—it hints at the internal pressures and distortions that a supply shortage can cause. We’ll need to check back in a few months, as the source says, to see if those Tesla chips are shipping smoothly and if yield numbers are improving. But one thing seems clear: even $73 billion in profit might not be enough to buy a seat at TSMC’s table anytime soon.
