Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd recenlty announced third quarter revenue of 30.27 trillion won on a consolidated basis for the period ended Sept. 30, 2008, an increase of 4 percent compared to the second quarter. Operating profit for the quarter was 1.48 trillion won, a 38 percent decline from 2.4 trillion won in the second quarter. Despite challenging conditions overall, the company reported favorable or better-than-expected results in key business sectors including semiconductor, which maintained profitability despite steep price declines in major chip categories, and telecommunications, where Samsung achieved record quarterly sales in handsets. The Semiconductor Business Unit continued its strength in the current volatile market environment where demand for memory chips has been declining. Despite sharp drops in prices for DRAM and NAND, the Semiconductor Business reported continued profitability, making Samsung the only major player in the memory industry worldwide that remains profitable in a significant industry downturn. The Semiconductor Business Unit outpaced all industry peers in the third quarter, posting revenues of 5.29 trillion won on a consolidated basis. Operating profit reached 190 billion won, a 37 percent decline.
