KT (030200) 🔎 In-depth
KOSPI · Price as of 2026-08-06 · Updated 2026-08-09
KT is Korea's second-largest telecom operator, earning most of its revenue from communications services such as mobile phones, internet and IPTV, and it is building out enterprise data-center, cloud and AI businesses on top of that. Consolidated operating profit for 2025 was ₩2.4691 trillion, up 205% year on year, but that figure includes a one-time real-estate gain of about ₩500 billion from developing the site of its Gangbuk headquarters. The strength is a solid net-cash balance sheet and generous shareholder returns through a ₩2,400 annual dividend and share buyback-and-cancellation. The caution is that in 2026 one-off gains such as the real-estate item drop out and costs related to a first-half customer-data breach add up, so reported profit may come in below last year's.
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30-second brief
Pulled directly from the computed values below — not a separately written opinion.
What do the SourceComputedEstimateReading tags mean?
Source filings and exchange data · Computed calculated from public data · Estimate our own unverified projection · Reading drafted automatically, then rule-checked. See AI & Automation.
Core valuation metric
This stock's effective sub-sector is “Telecommunications” (Telecom & Utilities), a type typically read first through EV/EBITDA.
Telecom pours heavy capital into network infrastructure and uses debt alongside it, so depreciation and capital structure weigh heavily on reported profit. That's why EV/EBITDA — enterprise value, including debt, against operating cash generation — reflects the underlying profitability more fairly than net-income P/E.
Price against earnings alone becomes unstable when earnings swing. Reading it together with price against assets helps gauge the downside.
This note explains how each sector is typically valued and is educational context only, not investment advice.
At-a-glance assessment financial health · growth · profitability · valuation
- Revenue rose 6.9% year over year, and the pace is quickening (3-year trend: rising).
- Most recent quarter (Q1 2026) revenue was 1.0% lower than a year earlier.
- ROE is 8.5% (controlling-interest basis). It is above the sector average.
- Operating margin is 8.0%.
- P/B is low versus peers too, so it looks cheap on an asset basis as well.
Ownership & governance As of 2025-12-31
Largest shareholder Hyundai Motor 4.86% (corporate)
Controlling bloc incl. related parties 8.07%
With the controlling bloc holding 8%, ownership is dispersed, leaving room for control-related or activist dynamics.
🔎 In-depth analysis Reading
How KT makes money is relatively simple. The main revenue pillar is consumer communications: mobile plans (wireless) and the household internet and IPTV (broadband and media) that bring in steady monthly fees. A second pillar is its enterprise business, selling leased lines, data centers (IDC), cloud, and increasingly AI to corporate and public-sector clients. Communications is a subscription-type revenue that customers rarely switch once signed up, so it is less cyclical and generates steady cash. On top of this stable communications cash flow, KT is looking for growth in data centers, cloud and AI. Consolidated revenue in 2025 was ₩28.2442 trillion.
The latest close is ₩53,500 and the market capitalization is ₩13.5 trillion. The price sits above its 20-day moving average (₩53,175) and below its 60-day moving average (₩54,287). Short-term and medium-term trends are diverging, so the direction is best read separately. The RSI (a supplementary indicator that gauges the strength of gains versus losses over the past 14 days on a 0-100 scale) is 50.7, a neutral level. The one-month change is -3.6%, the three-month change is -8.6%, and the position relative to the 52-week high is -22.4%. Relative strength versus the KOSPI is 34 (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 33% of all stocks. Over the past three months it outpaced the index by 7.0%. Chart interpretation is best done alongside trading volume and the dates on which disclosures occur.
On valuation (whether the price is expensive or cheap relative to earnings and assets), KT sits on the undervalued side. Its P/E ratio (how many times one year's earnings the price is) is 7.79x and P/B (price to book net assets) is 0.74x, meaning it trades below its net assets. One caveat, though: this P/E is based on last year's (2025) earnings, which included one-time items such as a real-estate sale that make earnings look larger than the underlying figure. On this year's basis, the multiple naturally rises somewhat. Profitability is good among telecoms. ROE (how much the company earns in a year on its equity) of 9.8% is the highest of Korea's three telecom operators, and the operating margin is 8.7%. The balance sheet is solid: net debt (total borrowings minus cash) is negative, meaning cash exceeds debt by about ₩3.507 trillion, a net-cash position. A debt ratio (debt to equity) of 133% looks high given the nature of a telecom, but this is mostly equipment-related and actual cash headroom is ample. The free-cash-flow yield (cash actually generated relative to market cap) reads high thanks to the large depreciation typical of telecoms, a sign of solid cash generation that funds dividends and buybacks. The dividend yield of 4.6% is on the high side.
It is worth separating the appearance of growth from its substance. On the surface, 2025 looks explosive: operating profit rose 205% and net profit 268% from a year earlier. But much of that is an optical effect, because the 2024 comparison base was so weak. In the fourth quarter of 2024 the company carried out a workforce restructuring of about 4,500 people, taking a one-time personnel cost of roughly ₩1 trillion all at once, which pushed 2024 operating profit down to ₩809.5 billion. 2025 was a normalization as that one-off cost disappeared, plus a one-time real-estate gain of about ₩500 billion from developing the Gangbuk headquarters site, which made profit look sharply higher. Revenue itself has grown gently within the ₩25-28 trillion range over five years, closer to stability than growth. In the first quarter of 2026, revenue was ₩6.7784 trillion (-1.0%), operating profit ₩482.7 billion (-29.9%) and net profit ₩388.3 billion (-31.5%), all down year on year, as costs related to the customer-data breach combined with higher marketing and personnel expenses. The company says that by managing marketing and other costs from the second quarter, it aims to hold this year's adjusted operating profit at around ₩1.5 trillion, excluding the breach impact. In short, reported profit may fall below last year's this year as one-off gains such as real estate drop out, but the underlying strength of the core business is not broken.
Recent developments come down to earnings releases, shareholder returns and breach response. In February 2026 the company confirmed 2025 full-year results, presenting operating profit of ₩2.4691 trillion together with an annual dividend of ₩2,400 (up 20% from the prior year). In May it confirmed first-quarter results and a quarterly dividend of ₩600, with first-quarter profit down year on year in the wake of the customer-data breach. As part of a corporate-value enhancement plan, the company is carrying out a total ₩1 trillion of share buyback and cancellation from 2024 through 2028, and has flagged about ₩250 billion for 2026. Disclosures on the largest shareholder's and executives' holdings, along with governance and large-business-group status filings, continue.
KT is a stock whose core is stable communications cash flow plus generous shareholder returns. The strong conditions are clear: a net-cash balance sheet, the highest ROE of the three telecom operators, shareholder returns combining a 4.6% dividend with share cancellation, and a low price relative to assets at a 0.74x P/B. On the other hand, the cautions must be viewed honestly. Last year's profit included one-off items such as real-estate and restructuring normalization, so this year's reported profit may fall. First-half costs related to the customer-data breach weigh on near-term profit. In the core communications business, subscriber saturation and tariff regulation make strong growth difficult, so the growth story hinges on how much data centers, cloud and AI actually translate into profit. In sum, this is a company with a distinctly stable profile, bought cheaply and returning value through dividends and share cancellation, rather than one of rapid growth.
🔎 Valuation vs peers Undervalued
Compared against Korea's three telecom operators, which have similar wireless, wireline, media and B2B business structures.
| Peer | P/E | P/B | ROE |
|---|---|---|---|
| SK Telecom | 47.91x | 1.47x | 2.73% |
| LG Uplus | 12.15x | 0.72x | 6.07% |
Compared with the two peer operators, KT's position is clear. SK Telecom's P/E of 44.7x is heavily distorted because its 2025 profit collapsed on large costs related to a major data breach, so it is hard to compare directly. The practical comparison is therefore LG Uplus (P/E 11.5x, P/B 0.68x, ROE 5.9%). KT, at a 7.6x P/E and 0.74x P/B, is actually cheaper on a price-to-earnings basis despite a higher ROE of 9.8%. One limitation is that this 7.6x P/E is based on last year's earnings, which included one-time items such as a real-estate sale that make profit look larger, so on a forward basis the multiple would rise somewhat. Even so, taking together the net-cash balance sheet, the low price relative to assets, and the highest return on equity among the three operators, we judge the stock to be in undervalued territory relative to its assets and cash flow.
Price history Close · MA20 · MA60
The latest close is ₩53,500 and the market capitalization is ₩13.5 trillion. The price sits above its 20-day moving average (₩53,175) and below its 60-day moving average (₩54,287). Short-term and medium-term trends are diverging, so the direction is best read separately. The RSI (a supplementary indicator that gauges the strength of gains versus losses over the past 14 days on a 0-100 scale) is 50.7, a neutral level. The one-month change is -3.6%, the three-month change is -8.6%, and the position relative to the 52-week high is -22.4%. Relative strength versus the KOSPI is 34 (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 33% of all stocks. Over the past three months it outpaced the index by 7.0%. 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 +6.96% / 6M -23.81% / 12M -49.35%
Key metrics Computed vs sector median
Valuation
The P/E of 7.79x is below the sector median (11.13x). The P/B of 0.74x is below the sector median (0.94x). 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 8.5%, above the sector average (7.0%). The operating margin is 8.0%. The debt ratio is 129.3%, so the financial structure is moderate.
Growth FY2025 · annual report (consolidated)
| Item | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $18.5B | $18.6B | $19.8B | +6.86% ↑ faster |
| Operating profit | $1.2B | $568.7M | $1.7B | +205.03% ↑ faster |
| Net profit | $709.4M | $330.4M | $1.2B | +268.08% ↑ faster |
| 5-year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $17.5B | $18.0B | $18.5B | $18.6B | $19.8B |
| Operating profit | $1.2B | $1.2B | $1.2B | $568.7M | $1.7B |
| Net profit | $953.2M | $886.9M | $709.4M | $330.4M | $1.2B |
| Revenue CAGR | 4-yr avg 3.20% | ||||
Revenue rose 6.9% year over year (2023 ₩26.4 trillion → 2024 ₩26.4 trillion → 2025 ₩28.2 trillion), and the three-year trend is 'rising'. The pace of growth also quickened from the prior year. Operating profit rose 205.0% year over year. Profit is growing at an accelerating pace. Over the 5 years on record, revenue compound annual growth (CAGR) is 3.2%. The two-year revenue CAGR is 3.5%. In the most recent quarter (Q1 2026), revenue was 1.0% lower than the same period a year earlier.
Latest quarterly results Source Q1 2026 · vs year-ago
Technical indicators Computed
What stands out
- P/E and P/B are both low versus peers, so the price looks inexpensive relative to earnings and assets.
- The dividend yield, at 4.5%, is on the high side.
Points to watch
- The figures shown are based on the last annual report as of the writing date, so it is best to review the latest quarterly results and filings alongside them.
Recent news & events searched · sourced
- 2026-02-10Earnings2025 full-year results confirmed: consolidated revenue ₩28.2442 trillion, operating profit ₩2.4691 trillion (+205% year on year). Includes a one-time real-estate gain of about ₩500 billion from developing the Gangbuk headquarters site.The profit surge reflects the disappearance of 2024's one-off restructuring cost (normalization) combined with the real-estate gain. In 2026, with the real-estate gain gone, reported profit may decline. Source
- 2026-02-10DividendAlong with 2025 year-end dividend funding, presented an annual dividend of ₩2,400 per share (up 20% from the prior year). Maintains a policy of using 50% of adjusted net profit on a separate basis as the shareholder-return source.Maintains a high dividend yield of about 4.6%. Strengthens shareholder returns backed by stable cash flow. Source
- 2026-05-15EarningsFirst-quarter 2026 report: revenue ₩6.7784 trillion (-1.0%), operating profit ₩482.7 billion (-29.9%), net profit ₩388.3 billion (-31.5%). Reflects costs related to the customer-data breach and higher marketing and personnel expenses.A near-term burden that weighs on first-half profit. The company plans to respond with cost management from the second quarter. Source
- 2026-05-13DividendFirst-quarter 2026 quarterly dividend of ₩600 per share confirmed (record date May 27, payment date June 11). Part of a quarterly split of the minimum ₩2,400 annual dividend.Regularizing the quarterly dividend improves the predictability of the payout. Source
- 2026-05-29FilingCorporate-governance report and large-business-group status disclosure. Regular electronic disclosure of governance and affiliate status.A regular disclosure relevant to governance transparency, with limited direct impact on earnings. Source
Figure cross-check computed ↔ external
| Metric | Computed | External | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 consolidated operating profit | 2,469,133 | 2₩469.1 billion | Confirmed | link |
| First-quarter 2026 operating profit | 482,701(approx. ₩482.7 billion) | ₩482.7 billion(-29.9% YoY) | Confirmed | link |
| Annual dividend per share (2025 year-end) | DPS ₩2,400,x 4.6% | ₩2,400 | Confirmed | link |
| 2026 net-profit estimate | approx. 1₩450.0 billion(self-estimate) | — | Unverified | — |
Recent filings Source
- 2026-05-29OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-29Corporate governance report
- 2026-05-29Large-business-group status disclosure (amended)
- 2026-05-28Large-business-group status disclosure
- 2026-05-28Large-business-group status disclosure
- 2026-05-15PeriodicQuarterly report
- 2026-05-15OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-15OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-15OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-13OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-13OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings report
- 2026-05-13OwnershipOfficers'/major-shareholders' holdings 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.