Samsung has effectively secured its profits for the next five years by signing long-term supply contracts amid a global memory-chip shortage driven by the artificial intelligence boom.
The company has already sold 70% of its general-purpose DRAM chip output for the next five years and 100% of the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips it will produce next year to global tech giants, leaving about 30% of general-purpose DRAM capacity uncontracted and reportedly the focus of intense competition.
Samsung’s contracts and pricing outlook
Average HBM prices are expected to jump 100 to 150% next year, driven by sales of next‑generation HBM4 chips; that surge is expected to prompt a double-digit price rise for general-purpose DRAM in the first quarter of 2027. Because most of Samsung’s memory volume is already locked into long-term contracts at rising prices, KB Securities views the company’s profit growth for next year as almost guaranteed.
