Samsung said the estimates "include a one-time gain related to the display business." It did not otherwise elaborate on earnings, but will report full results for the second quarter at the end of this month.

Samsung — which supplies key parts like display panels and chips for companies such as Apple (AAPL) and Huawei — is among the first of the big tech companies to report earnings for the quarter, and its full report will be viewed as a bell weather for how tech giants are withstanding the pandemic.

The company has been enjoying a boost to its memory chip business thanks to Covid-19.

Millions of people around the world continue to work, play games and watch movies from home, leading to strong chip demand from data centers, according to analysts.