Samsung Electronics Posts Unexpected Profit Increase

Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest memory-chip maker, Friday reported a better-than-expected 5.2% rise in second-quarter net profit thanks to strong shipments of memory chips, flat-screen panels and televisions. For the three months ended June 30, Samsung posted a net profit of KRW2.25 trillion, up from KRW2.14 trillion a year earlier. Sales rose 11.7% to KRW32.51 trillion from KRW29.1 trillion a year earlier, while operating profit rose to KRW2.52 trillion from KRW2.4 trillion a year earlier.