According to a earnings guidance released by Samsung Electronicson January 8, 2016, the company's operating income in fourth-quarter slided 17.5 percent from the previous quarter, mainly due to poor performance of the company’s semiconductor business. Operating income of the semiconductor division is estimated to have registered just 3 trillion won ($2.5 billion) in the quarter, down from 3.66 trillion won three months ago.

The earnings took a hit due to a 15 percent drop in DRAM chip prices. Compared to the end of 2014, the DRAM chip price tumbled 50 percent, representing slow demands for PCs and a persistent supply glut. And the price of the NAND flash sank 14 percent on quarter.

Shipments also missed expectations. The company offered more than 5 percent and 20 percent growth in shipments of DRAM and NAND flash chips, respectively, but the actual increase is estimated to have reached 2 percent and 15 percent.

Samsung’s display business is estimated to have registered an operating profit of less than 500 billion won in the fourth quarter, down 50 percent from 930 billion won posted in the July-September period. TV customers launched inventory adjustment in October and November, purchasing less LCD panels and leading to a price cut.

The IT and mobile businesses are estimated to have recorded an operating profit of 2 trillion won in the fourth quarter, also down 16.3 percent from three months ago, the lowest quarterly level in 2015.

The consumer electronics business, however, probably enjoyed improved sales on the back of year-end sales of UHD TVs and SUHD TVs in the U.S..