A local securities firm predicts that due to the stellar performance of its chip business, Samsung is going to post a market forecast-beating operating income for the first quarter of 2017. NH Investment & Securities forecasts an operating income of 9.6 trillion won or $8.59 for the quarter ending March 2017, higher than the market estimate of 8.9 trillion won or $7.7 billion.
The company is expected to recoup its losses from a seasonal decline in display and mobile demand through improved sales of its DRAM and 3D NAND products. The mobile division is expected to contribute more to the bottom line from Q2 as Samsung will show off the Galaxy S8 later this month and start selling it from April. It expects the division's earnings to pick up due to higher demand for a new Samsung flagship.
