Seoul — Samsung Electronics posted its slowest quarterly profit growth in more than a year on Tuesday due in part to weak sales of its Galaxy S9 smartphones, and warned of tougher competition ahead for the struggling mobile sector. The Apple components supplier and smartphone rival said operating profit from the mobile business sank 34% from a year ago, its fastest rate of decline since the first quarter of 2017, as cheaper Chinese-made handsets put pressure on margins. The South Korean tech giant gave investors little reason to hope for a quick turnaround in the mobile business, flagging stiffer competition in the second half amid concern its premium phones lack innovation to drive sales growth. "Samsung was already lost to China in price competition and is getting threatened by Chinese models in designs and hardware strength," said Park Jung-hoon, a fund manager at HDC Asset Management that owns Samsung shares.
"It is not an easy game for Samsung unless it really meets consu...
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