Samsung Electronics’ record-high performance is expected to slow down. 

A market consensus on the South Korean tech giant’s quarterly performance is that it will post sales of 63-point-83 trillion won in the October-December period with 13-point-97 trillion won in operating profit. 

The figures are three-point-two percent and seven-point-six percent less respectively than what the company earned in the same quarter last year. Last time the company made a quarterly operating profit less than 14 trillion won was the first quarter of last year at nine-point-nine trillion won. 

However, Samsung’s annual sales and operating profit are expected to renew all-time high records set last year and increase from last year’s 240 trillion won and 54 trillion won, respectively, to 248 trillion won and 63 trillion won. 

Samsung is scheduled to announce its provisional earnings for the fourth quarter on around January eighth. 

Analysts expect it will be difficult for the company to post sales and profits in the first half of next year, which are as strong as this year, citing declining prices of semiconductors and sluggish demands for them.