Samsung reports $52.45 billion in revenue, good for $8.27 billion profit

Samsung recently reported fourth quarter 2012 earnings which narrowly outpaced estimates released earlier this month. The South Korean multinational conglomerate earned revenues of roughly $52.45 billion with a profit of $8.27 billion. Samsung said the profit was up 10 percent over the previous quarter and a whopping 89.3 percent over the same time a year ago.

The company noted that their mobile business played a key role in the successful quarter. Samsung Mobile Communications grew by four percent compared to Q4 but it was handsets like the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II that were the true stars.

Other divisions also posted positive results, like Samsung’s semiconductor business. The company’s logic chip unit posted a 39 percent increase in operating profit compared with the previous quarter, good for $1.33 billion.

Areas that have given other companies trouble as of late (think Sony and televisions) proved to be little challenge for Samsung. Their Consumer Electronics Division, responsible for televisions and displays, recorded an increase in operating profit of 87 percent versus the third quarter.

As is typically the case this time of year, Samsung noted during their conference call that earnings would likely fall this quarter due to seasonality. They also anticipate being affected by the ongoing shift in the computer industry which continues to be hit with slowing sales of PCs thanks to the gradual market shift towards mobile products like smartphones and tablets.