Samsung Electronics plans a shareholder return program estimated at 90 trillion to 110 trillion won ($65 billion to $80 billion) for 2026, marking the largest ever by a Korean company. The program was approved by Samsung’s board, which also authorized approximately 30 trillion won in cash dividends for the third quarter of 2026. The specifics of the cash dividend payout will be finalized during a board meeting scheduled for late October 2026.
The remaining shareholder returns, which will include additional cash dividends and share buybacks, are set to be determined at a board meeting in January 2027. Samsung’s total shareholder return for the 2024-2026 period is projected to reach up to 140 trillion won ($101 billion). This announcement comes on the heels of SK Hynix’s launch of a 40 trillion won ($28.6 billion) share buyback program, the largest in South Korea’s history.
Samsung’s stock has seen a significant increase of approximately 135% year-to-date, as the company seeks to catch up with SK Hynix in high-bandwidth memory chips used in artificial intelligence systems. The previous record for shareholder returns set by Samsung was 20.3 trillion won in 2020. Alongside the shareholder return program, Samsung’s board also approved a share buyback of about 15 trillion won ($11 billion) aimed at employee compensation.
Samsung’s Chief Financial Officer Park Sooncheol stated, “We will soon share a plan to find the optimal balance between maximizing shareholder value and reinvestment for future growth.” The company’s shareholder return plan is driven by sustained demand for AI infrastructure, with Samsung reporting record operating profits for three consecutive quarters. As the market reacts to these developments, Samsung’s shares have gained as much as 10.3%, contributing to a broader recovery in the South Korean stock market.
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