Samsung Surpasses HP As Biggest Tech Co.

[soybean]

Samsung jumps back to profit in 4th quarter:

"Samsung said, however, that sales on a consolidated basis - which includes the performance of its overseas and domestic subsidiaries excluding financial businesses - reached a record 136.29 trillion won or nearly $118 billion at Friday's exchange rate.

That places Samsung slightly above Hewlett-Packard Co. ( HPQ - news - people ), which in November reported sales for fiscal year 2009 ended Oct. 31 of $114.6 billion. Palo Alto, California-based HP is considered the world's biggest technology company."

[kpac]

What's so great about Palo Alto?! Every big-player company has their HQ there!

Anyway, that's unbelievable money to be talking about.

[patio]

Their HDD's still suck...

[kpac]

I use one........what's wrong with them?

[patio]

Maybe my luck....i've never gotten a good one in almost 20 years...

[kpac]

I'll probably jinx it!

[patio]

I'm willing to give them another try if you want to ship me one.....

[kpac]

As soon as mine gives up, I'll let you know and we can sort out addresses and shipping.

[patio]

          

[Computer Hope Admin]

I would of never pegged Samsung as that big of a company. I racked my head and can't think of one Samsung product I have in my home / office. I think I may of had their hard drives in the past but currently I'm pretty positive I don't have one in any of my computers.

[patio]

From the article:

Still, Samsung's sales figure highlights its emergence as one of the world's top technology companies. The Suwon, South Korea-based corporation is the largest manufacturer of computer memory chips, flat screen televisions and liquid crystal displays. It ranks No. 2 in cell phones behind Finland's Nokia Corp.  ( NOK -  news  -  people )

I was aware of the memory segment but didn't realise they were that prominent in flat screen/LCD market...must sell most of it re-branded...

[rthompson80819]

From Wikipedia.

The Samsung Group (Korean: 삼성 그룹) is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It is the world's largest conglomerate by revenue[3][4]  with an annual revenue of US $173.4 billion in 2008[2]  and is South Korea's largest chaebol. The meaning of the Korean hanja word Samsung (三星) is "tristar" or "three stars".

The Samsung Group is composed of numerous international affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand including Samsung Electronics, the world's largest electronics company,[5][6][7] Samsung Heavy Industries, the world's second largest shipbuilder[8] and Samsung C&T, a major global construction company.

Samsung has been the world's most popular consumer electronics brand since 2005 and is the best known South Korean brand in the world.[9] Samsung Group accounts for more than 20% of South Korea's total exports[10] and is the leader in many domestic industries, such as the financial, chemical, retail and entertainment industries. The company's strong influence in South Korea is visible throughout the nation, which has been referred to as the "Republic of Samsung

One of the interesting things about some Asian companies is that they tend to make everything.  American conglomerates in the 60'6 and 70's tried to be in multiple industries, and most, but not all, bombed.