Samsung: Preliminary Q3 Sales Up 19 Percent

The electronics giant released the numbers without saying what prompted the sales bump, but it can likely be attributed to the company's lead over competitors such as Sony and LG Electronics in recent LCD-TV shipments.

According to September research from analysts at iSuppli, Samsung shipped 5.7 million units in the second quarter, up from 5.1 million in the first quarter, garnering an 18.5 percent market share. LG, Sharp, Sony and Philips rounded out the top five LCD-TV manufacturers in terms of second-quarter shipments.

In addition, iSuppi found that while the worldwide average selling price for all LCD-TVs remained flat in the second quarter vs. the first, pricing for the most popular size range for LCD-TVs (30 to 34 inches) fell by 4 percent sequentially in the second quarter.

"While panel prices may have risen, LCD-TV makers have taken some reductions on their margins to reduce pricing and maintain sales momentum," said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst, television, for iSuppli, in a statement. "Furthermore, in some cases, retailers are willing to compromise on their mark-ups to ensure the ongoing uptake of these sets."

Not all analysts are bullish on Samsung, however.

"Samsung seems to have reached a peak," Shinhan Investment analyst Sung Hye-jin told Reuters. "Earnings will likely fall in the fourth quarter as LCD prices have turned lower, the handset division will spend more on marketing as usual, and its rivals have quickly caught up in the LCD-TV sector."