Samsung SDI

삼성SDI / 삼성SDI 주식회사

A South Korean battery and electronic-materials producer supplying energy-storage and backup-power systems for electricity-intensive AI data centers.

KRX: 006400
Profile as of September 13, 2026
#117 in the AsiaAI Tech Index
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Samsung SDI is navigating a severe EV-battery downturn by expanding its stationary storage and data-center backup power offerings. While its UPS and ESS batteries are increasingly relevant to AI infrastructure, the company must prove this segment can offset broader automotive weakness and return its core energy business to profitability.

Key figures

Revenue FY2025: KRW 13.27 trillion (US$9.28 billion)
Revenue growth FY2025: -20.0%
Operating margin FY2025: -13.0%
Net income FY2025: Net loss of KRW 1.998 trillion
R&D spend FY2025: KRW 1.4209 trillion (10.7% of revenue)
Capital expenditure FY2025: KRW 3.29 trillion
Market capitalization Sep 11, 2026: KRW 42.42 trillion Estimate
Energy Solutions share of revenue FY2025: 93.3%
Planned StarPlus Energy capacity At full scale: 67 GWh
Solid-state battery target Mass production: 2027

Overview

Samsung SDI was established in 1970 as Samsung-NEC Co., Ltd. and operates as a publicly listed affiliate of the Samsung Group. The company is a major producer of lithium-ion battery cells, modules, and racks for electric vehicles, IT devices, and stationary storage. Its business is heavily concentrated in its Energy Solutions segment, which accounted for 93.3% of FY2025 revenue, alongside a smaller Electronic Materials division.

The company's manufacturing footprint spans South Korea, China, Hungary, Malaysia, and North America. It is currently expanding its U.S. presence through StarPlus Energy, a joint venture with Stellantis designed to reach 67 gigawatt hours of annual capacity. Samsung SDI differentiates itself through high-nickel prismatic cell designs, safety engineering, and an active all-solid-state battery development program targeting mass production in 2027.

The AI angle

Samsung SDI's exposure to AI is indirect but strengthening through the power infrastructure layer. As AI servers raise data-center load densities, operators require more robust uninterruptible-power systems (UPS) and grid-connected energy-storage systems (ESS) to maintain power continuity. Samsung SDI supplies high-power UPS batteries and containerized ESS products to meet this demand.

Its AI-specific offerings include the U8A1 battery, designed for high-output data-center backup use, which the company states can reduce required installation space by about 33% compared to prior models. It also offers the SBB 1.5, a containerized ESS integrating cells, modules, racks, and safety devices. While press reports suggest Samsung SDI has discussed supplying backup batteries for AWS data centers, the company does not publicly disclose its AI-specific revenue, unit volumes, or confirmed hyperscaler contracts. AI infrastructure remains a much smaller driver of its business than its core EV-battery operations.

Technology and moat

Samsung SDI's competitive advantage rests on its expertise in high-nickel prismatic battery cells, large-format system integration, and rigorous safety engineering. In the data-center market, its differentiator is not proprietary AI silicon, but the ability to package high-power battery products into dense, safe UPS and ESS configurations that minimize facility footprint.

The company's long-term technology moat relies heavily on its all-solid-state battery program. It completed its S-Line pilot production facility in 2023 and targets commercial mass production by 2027. If successful, this could provide a significant performance and safety advantage over conventional lithium-ion cells. However, its current stationary storage products face intense commoditization and price competition from Chinese suppliers with greater scale and vertical integration.

Five-pillar assessment

Scale and market position: A major global battery producer with a broad manufacturing footprint, though smaller in overall volume than Chinese market leaders CATL and BYD.
Technology and R&D: Strong capabilities in high-nickel prismatic cells and safety engineering, with a notable all-solid-state battery pilot program targeting 2027 mass production.
Supply-chain centrality: Closely tied to Stellantis for North American EV expansion and affiliated with Samsung Electronics, though specific data-center customer contracts remain largely undisclosed.
Financial momentum: Facing severe financial headwinds, with a 20% revenue decline and a KRW 1.72 trillion operating loss in FY2025 driven by weak EV-battery demand.
Governance and quality: Stable professional management within the Samsung Group chaebol structure, with transparent public reporting but some exposure to affiliate dynamics.

Supply chain and relationships

Samsung SDI depends on a complex upstream supply chain for battery-grade cathode and anode materials, lithium, critical minerals, separators, electrolytes, and manufacturing equipment. The company does not disclose its specific supplier names or purchase shares. Its production relies on sustained access to manufacturing capacity across Asia, Europe, and North America.

Downstream, Samsung SDI supplies automotive OEMs, ESS integrators, and IT device makers. Its U.S. expansion is closely tied to Stellantis through the StarPlus Energy joint venture. In the data-center market, press reports identify Tesla as an ESS battery customer and suggest late-stage talks with Amazon Web Services, though Samsung SDI does not publicly confirm a ranked customer list or revenue shares.

Customers

StellantisEV battery customer and joint-venture partner
Amazon Web ServicesReported talks for AI-data-center backup batteries
TeslaReported ESS battery customer

Partners

StellantisStarPlus Energy joint venture in Indiana

Competitors

CATLInferredCompetes in EV batteries and ESS cells
LG Energy SolutionInferredCompetes in global lithium-ion batteries
Panasonic EnergyInferredCompetes in automotive and stationary batteries
SK OnInferredCompetes for EV-battery supply programs
BYDInferredCompetes in battery cells and stationary storage

Geopolitics and risk

Samsung SDI faces significant geopolitical and trade risks, particularly regarding U.S. tariff policy and critical-mineral supply chains. The company cited U.S. tariffs as a contributor to weak ESS battery profitability in 2025, even as it commits substantial capital to U.S. production through its Indiana joint venture.

Its reliance on geographically concentrated battery materials exposes it to export restrictions and supply shocks. Furthermore, Samsung SDI must navigate intense price competition from Chinese rivals like CATL and BYD, who benefit from massive scale and vertical integration. Expanding its North American footprint helps localize supply for U.S. customers but increases exposure to local labor costs and construction execution risks.

Risk matrix
Risk	Severity	Why it matters
EV-demand weakness	High	Energy Solutions revenue fell 21.1% year over year amid weak demand and inventory adjustments.
Customer concentration	High	U.S. capacity expansion is closely tied to Stellantis through StarPlus Energy.
China-linked price competition	High	Chinese suppliers pressure global pricing in standard lithium-ion and LFP storage.
U.S. trade and tariff policy	High	U.S. tariffs contributed to weak ESS battery profitability in 2025.
Critical-mineral supply	High	Reliance on concentrated supply chains for lithium, nickel, and other battery materials.
StarPlus execution	Medium	Delays in the 67 GWh Indiana plants would raise fixed-cost pressure.
Solid-state battery commercialization	Medium	Transitioning from pilot to high-volume production by 2027 remains a technical risk.
Data-center ESS customer qualification	Medium	Stringent fire-safety and reliability requirements can delay revenue conversion.

Governance and ownership

Samsung SDI is a publicly listed company affiliated with the Samsung Group. It is not state-owned or state-controlled. Samsung Electronics is its largest disclosed shareholder, holding 19.58% at the end of FY2024, providing industrial relationships and governance continuity without majority control.

The company is led by Joo Sun Choi, who serves as President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board following his appointment in late 2024 and board election in early 2025. While it operates independently, its position within the broader chaebol structure means affiliate influence and related-party dynamics can affect capital allocation and market perceptions.

What to watch

Whether the Energy Solutions segment returns to operating profit after a massive FY2025 loss.
Whether ESS and UPS orders begin to offset EV-battery weakness.
Disclosure of a completed large-scale AI-data-center battery contract with AWS or another hyperscaler.
Ramp-up progress of the StarPlus Energy plants in Indiana toward 67 GWh capacity.
Advancement of all-solid-state battery customer qualification toward the 2027 target.
Capital expenditure trends following the drop to KRW 3.29 trillion in FY2025.

Recent developments

February 2, 2026Reported FY2025 revenue of KRW 13.27 trillion and an operating loss of KRW 1.72 trillion.
January 15, 2026Presented battery products for AI data centers, including the U8A1 UPS battery and SBB 1.5 ESS.
October 28, 2025Reported Q3 revenue of KRW 3.05 trillion and an operating loss of KRW 591.3 billion.
July 31, 2025Reported Q2 revenue of KRW 3.18 trillion and an operating loss of KRW 397.8 billion.
April 25, 2025Reported Q1 revenue of KRW 3.18 trillion and an operating loss of KRW 434.1 billion.
March 19, 2025Appointed Joo Sun Choi as an executive director, confirming his leadership transition.

Coverage on AsiaAI.FYI

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About this profile

Compiled with AI-assisted research from company filings, market data, and published reporting as of September 13, 2026, then reviewed by AsiaAI.FYI. Figures marked Estimate are not company-reported. Check primary filings before relying on any number.

Confidence: B. Financial reporting, leadership, and capacity programs are supported by company disclosures, but named customer relationships, AI-specific revenue, and exact patent counts are weak or undisclosed.

Main sources: Samsung SDI quarterly and annual results releases; Samsung SDI annual-general-meeting reference material; Samsung SDI corporate and product disclosures; Market-data reporting; Credible sector press.

All 68 sources

Position in the AI stack

Supplies high-power UPS batteries and containerized energy-storage systems that support power continuity for AI data centers.

Legal name: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
Formerly: Samsung-NEC Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: Yongin-si, Republic of Korea
Founded: 1970
Leadership: Joo Sun Choi / 최주선, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
Employees: 26,090 (2025)
Ownership: Publicly listed; part of Samsung Group
Listings: KRX: 006400
Business: Lithium-ion batteries, energy storage systems, and electronic materials
Sector: Batteries & Energy
Electronic Components
Website: samsungsdi.com