Samsung Electronics Co. is heading for its lowest profit since the global financial crisis, if not longer, due to a sharp slowdown in tech demand that triggered losses at its semiconductor division.

The South Korean chipmaker, which reports preliminary results for the March quarter on Friday, is expected to say operating profit plummeted about 90% to 1.45 trillion won ($1.1 billion), according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That would be the smallest profit since 2009. Several profit projections are below 1 trillion won and in some cases just slightly above breakeven.