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Samsung Biologics breaks profit records as it expands production capacity

Published: 21 Jan. 2026, 19:11

Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim delivers his keynote speech outlining the company's future road map at the 44th J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference held at Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco on Jan. 13. [SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS]

Samsung Biologics posted a record annual operating profit of more than 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion) in 2025, driven by expanded production capacity and a weaker won, the company said on Wednesday.

It marked the first time a Korean pharmaceutical and biotechnology company has crossed the 2 trillion won level.

Samsung Biologics posted fourth-quarter revenue of 1.29 trillion won and operating profit of 528.3 billion won, it said in a regulatory filing. Revenue rose 35.3 percent from a year earlier, while operating profit jumped 67.8 percent.

For the full year, revenue increased 30.3 percent to 4.56 trillion won, while operating profit climbed 56.6 percent to 2.07 trillion won.

The results reflected expanded production capacity following years of investment. Samsung Biologics is operating its first through fourth plants in Songdo, Incheon, at full capacity and has been ramping up output at its fifth plant, which began operations in May last year.

Total production capacity at the Songdo complex has reached 785,000 liters (207,400 liquid gallons). Including a 60,000-liter plant in Rockville, Maryland, the firm's global capacity is expected to rise to 845,000 liters.

Order momentum remained strong. The company said it signed more than three contracts worth over 1 trillion won each last year, lifting annual orders above 6 trillion won.

Since its founding in 2011, Samsung Biologics has secured 107 contract manufacturing deals and 164 contract development deals, with cumulative orders totaling $21.2 billion.

A weaker won also supported earnings. More than 90 percent of the company’s revenue comes from exports, and its business structure relies heavily on dollar-denominated transactions.

Samsung Biologics forecast revenue growth of 15 percent to 20 percent in 2026 from 2025. The outlook does not reflect potential revenue contributions from its planned acquisition of the Rockville plant, it said, adding that it would update guidance after the deal closes.

Samsung Biologics' offices in Yeonsu District, Incheon [YONHAP]

Industry observers have pointed to the company’s decision in November to spin off Samsung Bioepis, its biosimilar unit, through a corporate split as a factor strengthening its contract competitiveness.

The move repositioned Samsung Biologics as a pure-play contract development and manufacturing organization focused solely on providing development and production services for other drugmakers rather than pursuing its own drug development. The structure means the company will not compete with clients developing new drugs, easing concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

Market sentiment has been positive since the announcement. Samsung Biologics’ market capitalization rose to 89 trillion won as of Tuesday from 74 trillion won before the split was disclosed on May 22, 2025.

As of the end of last year, the company reported total assets of 11.06 trillion won, equity of 7.45 trillion won and liabilities of 3.61 trillion won. Its debt-to-equity ratio stood at 48.4 percent, while its borrowing ratio was 12.3 percent.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YI WOO-LIM [[email protected]]