With the ongoing competition in the AI semiconductor sector, the foundry (contract chip manufacturing) industry is facing a new challenge due to stagnant demand and overcapacity. Concurrently, the rivalry for dominance in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) segment, a crucial component in AI, is intensi
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. He can be reached at ldh@sinhan.com -- Ed.1Q24 review: OP of engines surpasses construction equipmentHD Hyundai Infracore posted sales of KRW1.16tr (-10% YoY), operating profit of KRW92.8bn (-39% YoY), and operating margin of 8% (-3.8%p YoY) for 1Q24.
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. She can be reached at sunmi.kim@shinhan.com -- Ed.Strong top-line drives earnings surprise & annual forecast revisionHyundai Engineering & Construction posted sales of KRW8.5tr and operating profit of KRW250.9bn for 1Q24, beating consensus estimates b
The number of affiliates belonging to Korea’s conglomerates crossed 3,000 for the first time in 2023. The increase is the result of business diversification in response to an unstable global business environment, but the increase has generated many negative side effects.As of May 2023, the number of
Netflix Services Korea has begun an administrative lawsuit against Korea’s tax authorities over 78 billion won (US$57 million) in tax imposed on the OTT giant. Much attention is being paid to see how the Korean court will rule on the unfair practice of global platform companies such as Netflix not p
It has been revealed that the four American “big tech” companies -- Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Meta -- collectively garnered around 9 trillion won in sales and about 600 billion won in operating profit in South Korea over the past year.According to the audit reports disclosed in the Financial Sup
Osstem Implant, the world’s leading dental implant company in sales, faced measures including the recommendation for dismissal of its CEO following embezzlement amounting to around 220 billion won. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) under the Financial Services Commission resolved on such m
Hanon Systems, a leading global automotive thermal management supplier for electrified mobility, has been named a GM Supplier of the Year in General Motors’ 32nd annual Supplier of the Year awards in Miami, Florida.A global, cross-functional team at GM recognized 86 of its best suppliers for perform
The market capitalization and operating profit of South Korea’s top 100 companies have been surpassed by those of their counterparts in Taiwan. This reversal comes as TSMC outpaced Samsung Electronics in operating profit in 2022, leading to a widening gap between the two representative companies.Acc
A forecast suggests that SK hynix’s operating profit is expected to surge to around 2 trillion won, marking a turnaround to profitability compared to the same period last year, ahead of the earnings announcement scheduled for April 25.According to financial information provider FnGuide on April 16,
South Korean cosmetics companies such as LG Household & Health Care and AmorePacific are reducing their reliance on the Chinese market and aggressively increasing their market share in the United States.According to statistics from the Korea Customs Service on April 15, the export amount of Korean c
Despite major overseas luxury brands achieving astronomical sales figures in South Korea last year, it has been revealed that many of them either reduced their donations or completely abstained from contributing compared to the previous year. This trend suggests a confidence among these brands that
Daewoo Engineering & Construction has secured a credit rating from Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR), one of Japan’s major credit rating agencies, solidifying its position as a global construction firm while boosting its funding flexibility in financial markets across the Middle East, Singapore, and
Anticipations are growing for the Korean shipbuilding industry’s entry into the U.S. warship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) business as the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, who is in charge of the U.S. Navy’s weapons procurement and budget, has praised the capabilities of the Korean shipbuilding
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at ys.jung@nhqv.com -- Ed.Basking in an absence of one-off issues in 1Q24, SHI’s shipbuilding volume and margins are expanding. Having already won 40% of its 2024 order target, the firm should see its full-year order intake r
Despite major property and casualty insurance companies lowering automobile insurance premiums for two consecutive years in April 2022 with a reduction ranging from 1.2 percent to 1.4 percent, and in February last year with a reduction ranging from 2.0 percent to 2.5 percent, they have recorded prof
On the night of April 13 (local time), Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel, employing drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. This action is expected to lead to an escalation in international oil prices. In addition, the exchange rate of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar r
As Western Digital, the world’s third-largest NAND flash company, formalized a price hike for solid state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs) in the first half of the year, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix’s NAND business is expected to switch to the black in the first quarter of 2024.Western
The author is an analyst for Shinhan Securities. She can be reached at sunmi.kim@shinhan.com -- Ed.1Q24 OP to meet consensus in the absence of major one-offsSamsung E&A is expected to have registered sales of KRW2.5tr and operating profit of KRW197bn in 1Q24 in line with the market consensus. Sales
LS Eco Energy has recently supplied ultra-high-voltage cable to Denmark, the company announced on April 11.The supply consists of 220 kV underground cables worth US$13 million. These cables will be used to connect the North Sea’s “Thor Offshore Wind Farm” with the inland power network.Since 2017, LS