Samsung released preliminary numbers for the first quarter of 2015 which, while light on detail, indicated a sequential improvement in quarterly profit.

The company said Q1 2015 operating profit will be KRW5.90 trillion ($5.4 billion), down 30.51 per cent from KRW8.49 trillion in Q1 2014, but up 11.53 per cent from KRW5.29 trillion in Q4 2014.

According to Reuters, this will be the company’s highest profit in three quarters, and could indicate it is on track for an earnings recovery even before its latest flagship smartphone – Galaxy S6 – has reached customers.

In Q4, Samsung said that profitability in its IT & Mobile unit had improved, despite a “slight” decline in shipments, benefitting from an improved product mix and “efficient cost management”.

While much attention is focused on its flagship devices such as Galaxy S6 and its Note phablet line, the company has also refreshed its mid-tier line, in the face of increased competition from a range of rivals.

Looking forward, Q2 will be an important milestone for the company, as it looks to improve its profitability following availability of Galaxy S6.

And the current figures are also at a group level, meaning that the performance of Samsung’s other units, such as televisions and components, will have had an impact.

Anticipated Q1 sales of KRW47 trillion are down 12.44 per cent year-on-year from KRW53.68 trillion, and down 10.87 per cent compared with Q4 (KRW52.73 trillion).

The first quarter of 2015 also saw an important development for Samsung: the settling of its patent dispute with Microsoft. So far, little detail has emerged about the pact (although the two companies are working more closely together).