Kyung-In Synthetic is a chemical company that, on a fine-chemicals base, makes dyes, pigments, and industrial chemical materials and supplies them to textile and industrial customers at home and abroad. Its 2025 full-year results were revenue of ₩379.7 billion, operating profit of ₩16.3 billion, and net profit of ₩5.6 billion, and in Q1 2026 net profit doubled year on year, so earnings are reviving, with dividend (a 36.2% payout ratio) and treasury-share trust termination disclosures following. What stands out lately is that if the earnings recovery that began in Q1 continues through the full year, the low valuation — a forward P/E of 5.32x, a P/B of 0.58x, and a price down 45% from its 52-week high — gains support, but with a 219.2% debt ratio and 2.4% ROE, if the recovery wobbles the high debt and low profitability could come back to the fore.
At-a-glance assessment financial health · growth · profitability · valuation
- Debt is somewhat higher than equity (debt ratio 219.2%).
- Revenue rose 1.5% year over year, and the pace is slowing (3-year trend: rising).
- Most recent quarter (Q1 2026) revenue was 8.5% higher than a year earlier.
- ROE is 2.4% (controlling-interest basis). It is below the sector average.
- Operating margin is 4.3%.
- The P/E sits above the sector median, reflecting elevated expectations.
Ownership & governance As of 2021-12-31
Largest shareholder Kim Heung-jun 20.46% (individual)
Controlling bloc incl. related parties 24.07%
With the controlling bloc holding 24%, control is maintained but the free float is relatively large.
🔎 In-depth analysis
- Kyung-In Synthetic is a company in the chemicals sector, with its head office in Seo-gu, Incheon.
- Its business structure is to make dyes, pigments, and industrial chemical materials on a fine-chemicals base and supply them to textile and industrial customers at home and abroad.
- As a small-to-mid-cap stock with a market cap of ₩139.2 billion, each capital-related disclosure — such as results, treasury shares, or dividends — as well as the business flow tends to have a relatively large impact on the balance sheet and share count.
- The recent close is ₩2,925 and the market cap is ₩121.7 billion.
- The price sits below its 20-day line (₩3,618) and its 60-day line (₩4,456).
- Trading below both the short- and medium-term moving averages, the trend looks subdued.
- The RSI (a supplementary gauge that compares upward and downward momentum over the past 14 days on a 0-100 scale) is 26.1, close to a depressed zone.
- The price is down 26.6% over one month and 26.3% over three months, and sits 52.0% below its 52-week high.
- Its relative strength versus the KOSPI is 18 (on a 1-99 scale, converting the past year's return against the index with more weight on recent performance; higher means stronger than the market).
- That places it in roughly the top 82% of all stocks by strength.
- Over the past three months it has lagged the index by 42.7%.
- Chart readings are best viewed alongside trading volume and the dates on which disclosures occur.
- The most recent full-year (2025) revenue was ₩379.7 billion, operating profit ₩16.3 billion, and net profit ₩5.6 billion.
- The operating margin is 4.3%, ROE (how much the company earns in a year on its equity) is 2.4%, and the debt ratio (debt relative to equity) is 219.2%.
- The current P/E ratio (how many times one year's earnings the price represents) is 21.59x, high at face value, but that is because it is computed off a year in which net profit temporarily shrank.
- For a stock like this, whose earnings hit bottom and are turning up, the picture based on this year's expected earnings is closer to the essence than past results.
- On this year's expected earnings the P/E is 5.32x, low relative to peers, and the P/B (how many times book value the price represents) is 0.51x, meaning the price is about half the company's net assets.
- In other words, on both the asset and this-year-earnings yardsticks it has entered a cheap zone.
- Revenue rose steadily from ₩345.4 billion in 2023 to ₩374.2 billion in 2024 to ₩379.7 billion in 2025.
- The change on the earnings side is bigger: operating profit swung from a ₩2.2 billion loss in 2023 to a ₩24.2 billion profit in 2024, then ₩16.3 billion in 2025.
- And in Q1 this year the trend strengthened again.
- Revenue rose 8.5% from the same period a year earlier, operating profit was up 22.6%, and net profit surged 106%.
- This is a recovery phase in which a business that had been loss-making has settled into profit and is again building up the scale of earnings.
- This year's expected revenue is ₩423.0 billion, operating profit ₩24.2 billion, and net profit ₩26.3 billion — a picture in which the earnings recovery confirmed in Q1 carries through to the full-year results.
- This kind of earnings increase feeds into the low figure of a 5.32x expected P/E.
- Recent disclosures cluster around results and shareholder returns.
- A January 28, 2026 results-change disclosure confirmed full-year revenue of ₩379.7 billion, operating profit of ₩16.3 billion, and net profit of ₩5.6 billion, and a cash and in-kind dividend was decided the same day.
- On January 9 there was a disclosure terminating the treasury-share acquisition trust contract.
- Dividend and treasury-share disclosures connect directly to cash returns or share-count changes, so it is worth checking together with whether earnings and cash flow support them.
- The payout ratio is 36.2%, returning part of what it earns to shareholders.
- The strengths are clear.
- Last year's earnings fell, making the P/E look high, but with Q1 net profit this year doubling year on year, earnings are reviving, and this year's expected-earnings P/E of 5.32x is lower than peers (Genic at 9.7x, Purit at 8.9x).
- At half of book value (a P/B of 0.58x) the stock is also supported on the asset-value side.
- On the chart, too, it is down 45% from its 52-week high with the RSI in a depressed zone, so valuation and price position have fallen together.
- The cautions are that the debt ratio is somewhat high at 219.2% and ROE is still low at 2.4%, and that the earnings recovery has only been confirmed once, in Q1.
- In short, if the earnings recovery that began in Q1 continues through the full year, the low expected P/E gains support directly; if the recovery wobbles, the high debt and low ROE could come back to the fore.
🔎 Valuation vs peers Undervalued
Peers close in market cap within the chemicals sector.
| Peer | P/E | P/B | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kangnam Jevisco | — | 0.27x | -0.43% |
| Genic | 11.77x | 5.42x | 46.01% |
| Purit | 8.43x | 1.19x | 14.10% |
Within the chemicals sector, peers close in market cap from public data were viewed first. The current P/E ratio (how many times one year's earnings the price represents) is 21.59x and the P/B (how many times book value the price represents) is 0.51x. That said, smaller-cap stocks are heavily affected by earnings swings and financing disclosures, so no firm conclusion was drawn from last year's confirmed-results metrics alone. The basis for the outlook box is a DART seasonality approximation.
Earnings outlook company-stated · verified
| Type | Period | Revenue | Operating profit | Net profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This year | 2026 | ₩423.0 billion | ₩24.2 billion | ₩26.3 billion |
| Next quarter | Q2 2026 | ₩111.6 billion | ₩7.8 billion | ₩11.4 billion |
Price history Close · MA20 · MA60
The latest close is ₩2,925 and the market capitalization is ₩121.7 billion. The price sits below its 20-day moving average (₩3,618) and below its 60-day moving average (₩4,456). 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 26.1, near oversold territory. The one-month change is -26.6%, the three-month change is -26.3%, and the position relative to the 52-week high is -52.0%. Relative strength versus the KOSPI is 18 (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 18% of all stocks. Over the past three months it lagged the index by 42.7%. 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 -42.69% / 6M -61.00% / 12M -62.96%
Key metrics vs sector median
Valuation
The P/E of 21.59x is above the sector median (14.79x). The P/B of 0.51x is below the sector median (0.97x). That said, this P/E is based on last year's (trailing) results. With recent quarterly earnings up sharply, the trailing P/E can look higher than it really is, so a precise read is best done on this year's expected (forward) earnings.
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.
Intrinsic value (DCF estimate)
DCF (discounted cash flow) estimate — discount rate 9.8%, initial growth 4.0%→terminal 2.0%, 10-yr forecast, free-cash-flow basis. A reference range that shifts materially with assumptions.
Profitability & financials
Return on equity (ROE) is 2.4%, below the sector average (4.0%). The operating margin is 4.3%. The debt ratio is 219.2%, so the financial structure is somewhat high.
Growth FY2025 · annual report (consolidated)
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $228.9M | $248.0M | $251.7M | +1.46% ↓ slower |
| Operating profit | -$1.5M | $16.1M | $10.8M | -32.86% |
| Net profit | -$7.1M | $10.2M | $3.7M | -63.21% |
| 5-year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $267.3M | $266.9M | $228.9M | $248.0M | $251.7M |
| Operating profit | $18.8M | $18.6M | -$1.5M | $16.1M | $10.8M |
| Net profit | $16.2M | $9.5M | -$7.1M | $10.2M | $3.7M |
| Revenue CAGR | 4-yr avg -1.50% | ||||
Revenue rose 1.5% year over year (2023 ₩345.4 billion → 2024 ₩374.2 billion → 2025 ₩379.7 billion), and the three-year trend is 'rising'. That said, the pace of growth slowed from the prior year. Operating profit fell 32.9% year over year. Over the 5 years on record, revenue compound annual growth (CAGR) is -1.5%. The two-year revenue CAGR is 4.9%. In the most recent quarter (Q1 2026), revenue was 8.5% higher than the same period a year earlier.
Latest quarterly results Q1 2026 · vs year-ago
Technical indicators
What stands out
- —
Points to watch
- Revenue rose 1.5% 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
- 2026-01-28EarningsChange in revenue or profit-and-loss structure of 30% or more (15% for large corporations): full-year revenue ₩379.7 billion, operating profit ₩16.3 billion, net profit ₩5.6 billionRecent confirmed or preliminary results. Check whether it points the same way as the annual trend and whether any one-off factors are involved. Source
- 2026-01-09UpdateMaterial-event report (decision to terminate the treasury-share acquisition trust contract): confirm the return termsA disclosure related to cash returns or share-count changes. Check whether earnings power and cash flow support it. Source
- 2026-01-28UpdateCash and in-kind dividend decision: confirm the return termsA disclosure related to cash returns or share-count changes. Check whether earnings power and cash flow support it. Source
Figure cross-check computed ↔ external
| Metric | Computed | External | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closing price | ₩2,925 | ₩2,925 | Confirmed | link |
| Latest quarterly results | revenue ₩107.9 billion, operating profit ₩6.5 billion | revenue ₩107.9 billion, operating profit ₩6.5 billion | Confirmed | link |
| Annual results | revenue ₩379.7 billion, operating profit ₩16.3 billion | revenue ₩379.7 billion, operating profit ₩16.3 billion | Confirmed | link |
| Original text of the results disclosure | revenue30%: revenue ₩379.7 billion · operating profit ₩16.3 billion · net profit ₩5.6 billion | revenue30%: revenue ₩379.7 billion · operating profit ₩16.3 billion · net profit ₩5.6 billion | Confirmed | link |
| Original text of the shareholder-return disclosure | : | : | Confirmed | link |
| Original text of the shareholder-return disclosure | ㆍ: | ㆍ: | Confirmed | link |
| Basis of the outlook box | DART | DART | Confirmed | link |
Recent filings
- 2026-06-02OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-06-02OwnershipLargest-shareholder ownership change report
- 2026-05-29Corporate governance report
- 2026-05-21OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-05-21OwnershipLargest-shareholder ownership change report
- 2026-05-15PeriodicQuarterly report
- 2026-04-21OwnershipLargest-shareholder ownership change report
- 2026-04-21OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-03-31OwnershipOwnership-change filing
- 2026-03-27Disclosure
- 2026-03-27Shareholders' meeting notice
- 2026-03-19PeriodicAnnual 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.