AKIPRESS.COM - Samsung Electronics is expected to record an operating profit of 8.4 trillion won ($7.9 billion) in the first quarter, down 4.33 percent from a year ago, as the result of slow smartphone sales growth, the Korea Times reported Tuesday.

That is up 1.08 percent from the previous quarter.

According to a preliminary estimate released Tuesday, the first-quarter sales reached 53 trillion won, up 0.25 percent from a year earlier.

The estimate did not provide figures for each of its business divisions. These will be made public in the last week of April.

Analysts have shown mixed reactions about the first-quarter performance.

They said that the figures are mostly in line with the market consensus of 8.4 trillion to 8.5 trillion won but raised concerns about the high dependence on smartphones.