Samsung plans up to $80 billion in shareholder returns after SK Hynix buyback

The logo of Samsung is seen at the Samsung Electronics Seocho building in Seoul on July 30, 2026. South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics posted on July 30, a massive 19-fold jump in second-quarter operating profit from a year earlier, buoyed by sustained AI-driven demand for memory chips. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images)Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty ImagesSamsung Electronics has announced a shareholder return package, marking a blockbuster week for shareholder returns among South Korea's chip giants following SK Hynix's share buyback.The company announced Friday that it expects shareholder returns to total between 90 trillion won and 110 trillion won ($65.1 billion to $79.52 billion) in 2026.Samsung said it was "the largest ever by a Korean company."The company has been seeking to catch up with its domestic rival SK Hynix in high-bandwidth memory chips used in AI systems. The stock is up around 135% year-to-date.The company also announced it would pay around 30 trillion won in cash dividends in the third quarter, including its regular quarterly dividend. Details of the payout will be finalized at a board meeting in late October, the company said.Samsung's anno...