Samjin Pharmaceutical is a drugmaker founded in 1968; most of its revenue comes from prescription drugs (ETC), with the antithrombotic 'Plarix' its core earner, backed by the 'Newstatin' family for high cholesterol and the 'Gebolin' pain reliever. A large share of generics and incrementally improved drugs makes it sensitive to drug-pricing policy and the entry of competing products, but a broad line-up of chronic-disease medicines gives it a stable revenue base, and it is pursuing the Alzheimer's therapy 'AR1001' with AriBio as a long-term growth axis. It released a corporate value enhancement plan on March 20 and, in February, decided on a cash and in-kind dividend yielding in the 4% range; the regular shareholders' meeting, the corporate governance report and other procedures went ahead, and amid a run of major-shareholder and executive holding-change filings in May and June, the May 15 first-quarter report confirmed in figures a slowdown in profit. The point worth watching is that with a P/B of 0.84x, ROE of 8.3% and a dividend yield of 4.2%, the multiple is the lowest and the ROE and dividend the highest among peers, giving a clear price appeal; but with revenue stalled, first-quarter profit fell sharply, and a high share of generics means drug-price cuts or competitor entry could shake margins, so the key is whether core earnings return to a normal-year level.
At-a-glance assessment financial health · growth · profitability · valuation
- Debt ratio, current ratio and interest burden all look healthy.
- Revenue rose 0.2% year over year, and the pace is slowing (3-year trend: rising).
- Most recent quarter (Q1 2026) revenue was 3.9% lower than a year earlier.
- ROE is 8.3% (total-net basis). It is above the sector average.
- Operating margin is 8.7%.
- The forward P/E sits above the sector median, reflecting elevated expectations.
Ownership & governance As of 2025-12-31
Largest shareholder Cho Eui-hwan 6.3% (individual)
Controlling bloc incl. related parties 13.41%
With the controlling bloc holding 13%, ownership is dispersed, leaving room for control-related or activist dynamics.
🔎 In-depth analysis
- Samjin Pharmaceutical is a drugmaker founded in 1968, with most of its revenue coming from prescription drugs (ETC) that require a doctor's order.
- Its flagship product is the antithrombotic 'Plarix' (a clopidogrel-based drug used for thrombotic and vascular disease), the company's core earner, backed by the 'Newstatin' family of cholesterol treatments and the familiar pain reliever 'Gebolin' (an over-the-counter drug that can be bought directly at a pharmacy).
- Because a large share of revenue comes from generics and incrementally improved drugs that use off-patent ingredients, results move sensitively with drug-pricing policy and the entry of competing products; but by the same token it holds a broad line-up of chronic-disease medicines with steady demand, giving it a stable revenue base -- two sides it carries together.
- On top of this, it is pursuing new-drug pipelines such as the late-stage trials of the Alzheimer's therapy 'AR1001' developed with AriBio as a long-term growth axis.
- The latest closing price is ₩17,970 and the market cap is ₩239.4 billion.
- The price sits below the 20-day line (₩18,654) and below the 60-day line (₩19,286).
- Trading below both its short- and medium-term moving averages, the trend is on the subdued side.
- The RSI (a supplementary gauge that measures upward versus downward force over the past 14 days on a 0-100 scale) is 41.9, a neutral level.
- The one-month change is -4.3%, the three-month change is -0.2%, and the position versus the 52-week high is -27.3%.
- Relative strength versus the KOSPI is 26 (1-99, computed from returns against the index over the past year with more recent performance weighted more heavily; higher means stronger than the market).
- That places it in roughly the top 74% of all stocks by strength.
- Over the past three months it lagged the index by 20.1%.
- Chart readings are best viewed alongside trading volume and disclosure dates.
- The P/E ratio (how many times one year's profit the price represents) is 9.90x and the P/B (how many times net assets the price represents) is 0.82x, so the stock trades even below the company's net assets.
- ROE (how much is earned in a year on equity) is 8.3%, the operating margin 8.7% and the net margin 7.8%, so profitability offers steady support, while the balance sheet is stable with a debt ratio (debt against equity) of 62%, a current ratio of 130% and interest coverage of 5.2x.
- Add a dividend yield of 4.2% (payout ratio 42%), and assets, profitability and returns are evenly in place.
- Meanwhile, first-quarter profit dipped temporarily this year, so the forward P/E (16.3x) looks higher than the trailing P/E on last year's profit (10.1x); this is not because the share price got expensive but because the stock is passing through an inflection with an earnings trough.
- For such a stock, where this year's profit settles matters more than a single year's figure, and a P/B below 1x reads in itself as a sign that the price is not much of a burden.
- Over five years revenue rose gently from ₩250.1 billion to ₩309.1 billion (an annual average of +5.4%), and 2025 revenue was essentially flat at +0.2% versus the prior year, effectively entering a stall.
- Profit swings more: net profit jumping from ₩18.9 billion in 2023 to ₩39.2 billion in 2024 and then coming down to ₩24.2 billion in 2025 is a return to a normal level as one-off gains booked in 2024 rolled off.
- The first quarter of 2026 opened with revenue of ₩68.1 billion (-3.9%), operating profit of ₩3.6 billion (-25.8%) and net profit of ₩1.4 billion (-62.6%); net profit falling more than operating profit appears to reflect non-operating financial and other items concentrated in the first quarter, so there is room for the gap to narrow through the year.
- If this year's profit is set conservatively to reflect the weak first quarter, the forward P/E comes to around 38.25x, and this is not because revenue collapsed but because revenue held its ground while profit alone was temporarily held down.
- With the steady demand base of chronic-disease prescription drugs and an asset value below 1x P/B providing support, there is room for profit to rise again if core margins return to a normal-year level.
- The official issues that shaped the flow in 2026 are on the shareholder-return and governance side.
- On March 20 the company laid out its medium- to long-term value-enhancement direction directly through a 'corporate value enhancement plan (voluntary disclosure)'; in February it decided on a cash and in-kind dividend yielding in the 4% range; and before that, in December 2025, it disclosed a disposal of treasury shares.
- Procedures such as the regular shareholders' meeting, the appointment of outside directors and the disclosure of the corporate governance report also proceeded normally.
- Meanwhile, in May and June there was a run of holding-change and large-holding filings by major shareholders and executives, and on May 15 the first-quarter report was filed, confirming the profit slowdown in figures.
- It is a point at which both the shareholder-return stance and shifts in the shareholder base are worth watching.
- The strengths are clear.
- At a price below net assets with a P/B of 0.84x, and with ROE of 8.3% and a dividend yield of 4.2% providing profitability and returns at the same time, it has the lowest multiple and the highest ROE and dividend against other operating drugmakers, so on price it is closer to undervalued territory.
- With stable debt and liquidity, asset value and the dividend firmly support the downside of the share price.
- What to watch carefully is the fact that, with revenue stalled, profit fell sharply in the first quarter of 2026, and a structural variable underlies it: a high share of generics means drug-price cuts or the entry of competing products can shake margins.
- In short, from the standpoint of asset, dividend and financial stability, this is a stock with clearly live price appeal, and whether core earnings climb off the first-quarter trough and return to a normal-year level is the key condition determining the momentum to rise again.
🔎 Valuation vs peers Fairly valued
Compared with domestically listed operating drugmakers of similar business structure (ETC-centered generics and incrementally improved drugs) and scale.
| Peer | P/E | P/B | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daewon Pharmaceutical | 0.00x | 0.67x | -0.52% |
| Dong Wha Pharm | 15.98x | 0.37x | 2.29% |
| Ilyang Pharmaceutical | 23.00x | 0.67x | 2.91% |
| Bukwang Pharmaceutical | 30.56x | 1.13x | 3.69% |
(a) Position versus peers: against the operating drugmakers above, Samjin has the lowest P/E and the highest ROE and dividend, so on the multiple side it is in a discount zone. The base diagnostic's 'overvalued' tag is a mechanical comparison with an industry median that mixes in loss-making firms and holding companies, so it differs in character from the business substance. (b) Premium/discount: given stable finances and the dividend, there is room to see a P/B of 0.86x as a discount to asset value. (c) Limits of the trailing figure: however, the P/E of 10.4x is based on last year's profit, which swung on one-off gains in 2024 and normalization in 2025, and reflecting the first-quarter 2026 profit decline, this year's forward multiple comes out higher than that. Asset and dividend value look cheap, but with profit falling, rather than calling it one way or the other, it is closer to Fairly valued.
Price history Close · MA20 · MA60
The latest close is ₩17,970 and the market capitalization is ₩239.4 billion. The price sits below its 20-day moving average (₩18,654) and below its 60-day moving average (₩19,286). It is under both its short- and medium-term moving averages, so the trend looks subdued. The RSI (a supplementary indicator that gauges the strength of gains versus losses over the past 14 days on a 0-100 scale) is 41.9, a neutral level. The one-month change is -4.3%, the three-month change is -0.2%, and the position relative to the 52-week high is -27.3%. Relative strength versus the KOSPI is 26 (on a 1-99 scale, converted from returns against the index over the past year with more weight on recent performance; higher means stronger than the market). It is stronger than roughly 26% of all stocks. Over the past three months it lagged the index by 20.1%. Chart interpretation is best done alongside trading volume and the dates on which disclosures occur.
Relative performance stock vs index · start = 100
Excess return vs index · 3M -20.13% / 6M -42.81% / 12M -60.45%
Key metrics vs sector median
Valuation
The P/E of 9.90x is below the sector median (15.98x). The P/B of 0.82x is below the sector median (1.37x). Both metrics are low versus peers, so the price is not expensive relative to earnings and assets.
Enterprise value (EV)
EV = market cap + net debt. It reflects cash and debt, so it captures the real cost of the whole business that market cap alone misses; lower multiples are cheaper relative to earnings or sales.
Profitability & financials
Return on equity (ROE) is 8.3%, above the sector average (3.0%). The operating margin is 8.7%. The debt ratio is 62.0%, so the financial structure is stable.
Growth FY2025 · annual report (separate)
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $193.6M | $204.4M | $204.9M | +0.25% ↓ slower |
| Operating profit | $13.6M | $21.0M | $17.8M | -15.34% ↓ slower |
| Net profit | $12.5M | $26.0M | $16.0M | -38.39% ↓ slower |
| 5-year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $165.7M | $181.6M | $193.6M | $204.4M | $204.9M |
| Operating profit | $22.5M | $15.4M | $13.6M | $21.0M | $17.8M |
| Net profit | — | $14.5M | $12.5M | $26.0M | $16.0M |
| Revenue CAGR | 4-yr avg 5.44% | ||||
Revenue rose 0.2% year over year (2023 ₩292.1 billion → 2024 ₩308.3 billion → 2025 ₩309.1 billion), and the three-year trend is 'rising'. That said, the pace of growth slowed from the prior year. Operating profit fell 15.3% year over year. The decline widened. Over the 5 years on record, revenue compound annual growth (CAGR) is 5.4%. The two-year revenue CAGR is 2.9%. In the most recent quarter (Q1 2026), revenue was 3.9% lower than the same period a year earlier.
Latest quarterly results Q1 2026 · vs year-ago
Technical indicators
What stands out
- The dividend yield, at 4.5%, is on the high side.
- The balance sheet is stable in terms of debt and liquidity.
Points to watch
- Revenue rose 0.2% year over year, and the pace is slowing (3-year trend: rising).
- The price is high versus peers, so expectations already appear priced in.
Recent news & events searched · sourced
- 2026-03-20FilingThrough a corporate value enhancement plan (voluntary disclosure), the company laid out its medium- to long-term value-enhancement direction and shareholder-return stance directlyFor the medium term, it becomes a benchmark for gauging the sustainability of shareholder-return policies such as dividends and treasury shares. Source
- 2026-02-11DividendDisclosure of a cash and in-kind dividend decision (continued returns at a per-share dividend yield of about 4.2%)In the short term, dividend appeal supports the downside of the share price. Source
- 2025-12-01FilingDisclosure of a treasury-share disposal decisionIt can affect near-term supply and demand and shows the direction of treasury-share policy. Source
- 2026-05-15EarningsFiling of the first-quarter 2026 report (revenue ₩68.1 billion, operating profit ₩3.6 billion, net profit ₩1.4 billion, down year over year)In the short term, it confirms a slowdown in profit momentum, a burden on the share price. Source
- 2026-06-02UpdateA run of major-shareholder and executive holding-change filings, including a large-holding reportFor the medium term, the possibility of shifts in the shareholder base warrants monitoring. Source
Figure cross-check computed ↔ external
| Metric | Computed | External | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield and dividend per share | 4.25% / ₩800 / 41.9% | (KRX KIND, 2026-02-11) | Confirmed | link |
| First-quarter 2026 results | revenue 681 / operating profit 36 / net profit 14 | (2026.03) DART | Confirmed | link |
| 2026 estimated net profit (this year's forward basis) | approx. 150 (self-estimate) | — | Unverified | link |
Recent filings
- 2026-06-02OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-06-01Corporate governance report
- 2026-05-28OwnershipAmended filing
- 2026-05-22OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-05-21OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-21OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-15PeriodicQuarterly report
- 2026-04-15OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-03-24Disclosure
- 2026-03-24Shareholders' meeting notice
- 2026-03-20Disclosure
- 2026-03-16PeriodicAnnual business report
📖 Plain-language glossary — expand if you are new to this
- P/E
- How many times a year's net profit the price is worth (lower is cheaper relative to earnings). The P/E here is on trailing (last full-year) results; for companies whose earnings swing fast (memory chips and other cyclicals/high-growth), a forward P/E on this year's expected earnings is more accurate.
- P/B
- Price relative to net assets (equity). Around 1x means it trades near book value; below 1x means below book.
- P/S
- Price relative to a year's revenue — useful for growth companies with thin earnings.
- Net debt / EV
- Net debt = interest-bearing debt − cash. Negative means more cash than debt (net cash). EV (enterprise value) = market cap + net debt, closer to what it would cost to buy the whole business.
- EV/EBIT · EV/EBITDA · EV/Sales
- Enterprise value against operating profit (EBIT), EBITDA, or revenue. Unlike P/E these reflect debt and cash; lower is cheaper relative to earnings power or sales.
- FCF / FCF yield
- Free cash flow = operating cash − capex, the cash actually left over. FCF yield = FCF ÷ market cap; higher means more cash generated per unit of market value.
- Intrinsic value (DCF)
- Future free cash flow (or, for some capex-heavy but profitable names, forecast earnings) discounted to today to estimate per-share value. Because it shifts a lot with the discount-rate and growth assumptions, it is shown as a bear/base/bull range, and the basis and assumptions are disclosed in one line beneath it.
- ROE
- How much profit the company earns in a year on its equity (%). Higher means better returns on capital.
- EPS / BPS
- Earnings per share / net assets (book value) per share.
- Operating / net margin
- Profit left from the core business / final profit after tax and interest, per unit of revenue.
- Debt ratio
- Debt relative to equity (%). Higher means more reliance on borrowing (norms vary by sector).
- Current ratio
- Assets convertible to cash within a year against debt due within a year. Above 100% leaves some short-term headroom.
- Interest coverage
- How many times operating profit covers the interest owed. Below 1x means operating profit alone struggles to cover interest.
- Dividend yield / payout ratio
- The year's dividend as a % of today's price / the share of earnings paid out as dividends.
- Revenue CAGR
- Multi-year growth expressed as a single yearly average (compound annual growth rate).
- RSI (short-term signal)
- Whether recent price action is overheated or beaten down. Above 70 is overbought, below 30 oversold.
- MA20 / MA60 (moving averages)
- The 20- and 60-day average price. Price above them signals a firmer short-term trend.
- vs 52-week high
- How far below the past year's peak the price sits now (%).
All figures are for reference only; how they read varies by sector and over time.
Sources: Korea FSC market-price API (data.go.kr), OpenDART, KRX/KIND — public data only.
Bong Stocks presents public-data-based information for reference only. It is not investment advice and contains no target prices, ratings, or buy/sell recommendations. Verify independently before making any decision.