Samsung Electronics is set to announce a shareholder return programme exceeding $72 billion, according to local media reports citing industry sources. The South Korean tech giant plans to reveal the initiative at a board meeting later this month, with the programme expected to include a special dividend and share buybacks.
The reported programme, valued at more than 100 trillion won, represents roughly half of Samsung’s free cash flow under current projections. The move follows a surge in demand for high-bandwidth memory chips driven by artificial intelligence applications, which has bolstered the company’s earnings outlook. Samsung declined to comment on the reports.
The announcement comes as Samsung’s domestic rival SK Hynix unveiled a 40 trillion won share buyback and cancellation plan this week, the largest such programme announced by a publicly listed South Korean company. SK Hynix, the world’s second-largest memory-chip maker, has committed to allocating more than 50% of its free cash flow to shareholder returns between 2025 and 2027.
The timing aligns with Samsung’s upcoming board meeting scheduled for the end of August, where the programme is expected to receive formal approval. The company’s decision reflects broader efforts among South Korean conglomerates to distribute record profits amid a prolonged AI-driven chip supercycle.
