Samsung's market value could reach $2 trillion

Samsung Electronics is on track to potentially reach a $2 trillion market valuation, with analysts suggesting its stock price needs to climb to 520,000 won ($345) from its May 29 closing price of 317,000 won ($210). The company’s current market cap stands at 1,853 trillion won ($1.23 trillion) for common shares, and including preferred shares, it recently exceeded 2,000 trillion won ($1.33 trillion) for the first time. This outlook hinges on Samsung maintaining its memory chip upcycle while reducing risks from labor disputes and expanding its non-memory semiconductor businesses, particularly foundry operations. The company has drawn attention for its reported multitrillion-won investment in Anthropic, the U.S. AI firm behind Claude, which raised $65 billion in a Series H round valuing it at $965 billion. Samsung, alongside SK hynix and Micron, participated as a strategic infrastructure partner, potentially unlocking broader cooperation in memory, AI infrastructure, and foundry services. Samsung’s latest progress with its HBM4E high-bandwidth memory chips—designed for next-generation AI workloads—has further boosted investor confidence. The company began shipping samples of the 12-layer product to global customers, reinforcing expectations tied to AI memory and foundry opportunities linked to Anthropic. However, challenges remain, particularly in improving Samsung’s system semiconductor business, which is expected to account for half of the global chip market this year but where Korean firms hold a small share. Labor stability is also critical, as semiconductor fabrication plants require skilled workers and round-the-clock operations. Samsung’s Device Solutions division reported a turnover rate below 1%, underscoring the need to retain experienced chip workers. For Samsung to approach a $2 trillion valuation, analysts emphasize the need to defend its memory competitiveness, demonstrate clearer progress in foundry operations, and expand AI partnerships with global technology companies.