The memory semiconductor super cycle is doing wonders for Samsung's profitability. The company is on track to post a record quarterly high operating profit. Analysts are very optimistic about the company's fortunes until next year. Some are projecting that it would end up making more in profit than even NVIDIA, the undisputed darling of the AI value chain. Samsung's making money hand over fistThe earnings guidance from Samsung Electronics for the first quarter of 2026 does make that goal seem attainable. The company expects to hit an operating profit for nearly $42 billion this past quarter, a 755% increase over the same period last year. These impressive numbers also mean that Samsung has made more money in one single quarter of 2026 than it did in the whole of 2025.Analysts believe that the memory cycle is currently only at the midpoint and that there's more room for prices to grow. KB Securities appears to be the most bullish on Samsung's prospects. It anticipates that Samsung will post yearly operating profit of $221 billion in 2026 and a whopping $330 billion in 2027.The firm's projections for NVIDIA's 2027 profit are below $330 billion. If Samsung is able to hit this level by next year, it would become the world's top company in terms of operating profit, despite having a market capitalization that is only 19% of NVIDIA's.In Samsung's case, the saying “Sell pickaxes during a gold rush” fits all too perfectly.