Samsung Electronics announced a shareholder return program valued between 90 trillion and 110 trillion won ($65 billion to $80 billion) for 2026. This initiative marks the largest capital return in South Korean history. The company plans to distribute approximately 30 trillion won in cash dividends during the third quarter.
The program aligns with a three-year policy to return 50% of free cash flow to shareholders. Surging demand for AI-related semiconductors is driving the record-breaking payout.
The board also approved a separate 15 trillion won ($10.9 billion) share buyback for employee compensation. This buyback will take place between August and November 2026.
Samsung shares fell as much as 2.6% in post-market trading despite the scale of the plan. Analysts attribute the decline to investor expectations of up to 150 trillion won and a lack of detail regarding buyback allocations and cancellations.