The gap in operating margins of Samsung Electronics Co. and that of Apple Inc., the world's two largest makers of smartphones, fell to a record low as sales of Apple's iPhone slumped, according to the two companies' financial statements on Wednesday.

Apple posted an operating profit of $10.1 billion and sales of $42.4 billion in the quarter ending June 25. Apple's operating margin declined 3.85 percentage points on quarter to 23.82 percent. 


In its earning guidance for the April-June period, Samsung expected to post an operating profit of 8.1 trillion won ($7.1 billion) and sales of 50 trillion won. Given the forecast, Samsung's operating margin is likely to stand at 16.2 percent.

It means that the gap in operating margins between Samsung and Apple is likely to stand at 7.62 percentage points.

Apple had maintained a double-digit lead over Samsung in operating margin for years, but it would be the first time that the quarterly gap drops to single digits.

Samsung plans to announce its second-quarter earnings on Thursday.  (Yonhap)