CNN에 난 기사인데 드디어 삼성이 미국 바깥에 있는 가장 가치있는 회사라는 평가를 받는군요. 좋은 일입니다. 다른 업종들도 삼성 LG처럼  외국에서 인정받게 되면 일자리 창출은 물론이고 소득 2만불달성도 가능할텐데 현재로선 어려워 보이는군요. 요즘 CNN에 삼성 이미지 광고같은 것이 자주 나오는 것과 상관 있는 평가인지도 모르긴 하지만, 아무렴 CNN이 전혀 사실이 아닌 이야길 하겠습니까?


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출처: http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/19/technology/samsung.reut/index.htm
Samsung sees DRAM chip shortage
 
Memory chip giant profits should rise on tight supplies, company boosts forecast for cell phones.
May 19, 2004: 11:59 AM EDT
 

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's top memory chip maker, said Wednesday it expected a shortage of DRAM chips throughout 2004, with inventories at low levels and supply constrained.

 
"A DRAM supply shortage will surely help boost Samsung's profits," said Chin Yeong-hoon, analyst at Daishin Securities. "We expect the DRAM market to grow to $26.4 billion this year from $16.7 billion last year thanks to strong DRAM prices."

Prices of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, used mainly for computer memory, have soared since the start of the year on tight supply as chip makers switched to making flash memory and hit problems when they introduced new production technology.

"The supply limit is causing stable DRAM pricing in a slow season," Samsung said in a copy of a presentation for a global investor conference organized by Samsung Securities, which was obtained by Reuters.

The chip shortage was a key reason for Samsung's near tripling of profits in the first quarter, along with buoyant handsets and flat-screen businesses.

"A DRAM shortage will prevail in 2004. The market inventory is low and supply is constrained," the presentation said.

Daishin Securities forecasts Samsung will report an operating profit of 3.8 trillion won ($3.2 billion) from its DRAM business in 2004, more than double the 1.7 trillion in 2003.

The price of the industry standard 256-megabit chips rose 43 percent in the first three months of the year to $5.29, according to chip broker DRAMexchange.com.

"Contract price has increased for four months including May," Samsung said in the document.

Cell phone forecast raised
Samsung, which is also the world's third-largest mobile phone producer, said it expected to raise its annual mobile phone shipment target for 2004, currently set at 65 million units. The company also said it should sell more handsets in the second quarter after shipping a record 20.1 million in the first quarter, driven by U.S. and Asian demand.

The company noted pressure on average selling prices was rising in some markets.

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Handset rival LG Electronics Inc, the world's fifth-largest cell phone maker, also offered an upbeat outlook, saying it predicted its cell phone profit margins would improve in the second quarter, helped by a rise in shipments and sales of high-end handsets such as third-generation models.

It suffered weak margins in the first quarter, hit by heavy inventories and a fall in prices for its cell phones.

Shares in Samsung, the world's most valuable technology company outside the United States, closed up 5.6 percent at 500,000 won, outperforming a 4.9 percent rise in the broader market. LG Electronics was up 9.42 percent at 63,900 won.