Samsung Electronics made history by becoming the first South Korean company to surpass a $1 trillion market capitalization.
The milestone was achieved during a massive tech rally in Seoul, where Samsung shares surged 7.13% to close at 218,000 won. This leap added nearly $70 billion to its valuation in a single day, bringing its total market value to approximately $1.03 trillion.
The “Nvidia Tailwinds” and AI Boom
The breakout was directly fueled by the global euphoria surrounding Nvidia’s record Q4 earnings announced just 24 hours earlier.
- The HBM4 Factor: Investors were buoyed by reports that Samsung is negotiating a 30% price hike for its next-generation HBM4 (High-Bandwidth Memory) chips. Samsung is reportedly targeting a unit price of $700, positioning itself to regain the lead from rival SK Hynix in the AI memory race.
- Agentic AI: The launch of the Galaxy S26 series, marketed as the world’s first “Agentic AI” phone, has also shifted sentiment. Analysts believe Samsung’s ability to integrate AI across its entire ecosystem—from chips to consumer devices—is driving a structural “re-rating” of the stock.
Samsung’s New Global Standing
With this achievement, Samsung has joined an elite group of only 13 companies worldwide in the “Trillion-Dollar Club.”
| Rank | Company | Region | Market Cap (Approx.) |
| 6 | TSMC | Taiwan | ~$1.2 – $1.5 Trillion |
| 7 | Saudi Aramco | Saudi Arabia | ~$1.8 Trillion |
| 12 | Samsung Electronics | South Korea | $1.03 Trillion |
Market Context: Samsung’s surge propelled South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index to close above the 6,300 mark for the first time in history. Just one month ago, the index had only recently crossed 5,000
Why Now? The “Undervaluation” Thesis
For years, Samsung suffered from the “Korea Discount” (where Korean firms trade at lower multiples than global peers). Several factors converged this week to break that trend:
- Corporate Reform: The South Korean legislature passed a bill on February 25 requiring companies to cancel treasury shares, a move that significantly boosts shareholder value.
- Profitability Shift: Morgan Stanley recently upgraded Samsung to a “Top Pick,” projecting that its operating profit will hit $133 billion by 2027, driven by a 45% margin on AI-related memory.
- Institutional Buying: Institutional investors poured 1.24 trillion won into the market on Thursday, specifically targeting the semiconductor “Big Two” (Samsung and SK Hynix).
What’s Next?
Market analysts, including those from Citigroup and Macquarie, have already raised their target prices for Samsung to as high as 340,000 won, suggesting the company could reach a $1.5 trillion valuation by the end of 2026 if the AI infrastructure cycle continues at its current pace.
