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Listed firms' net profit through September up 25 percent amid chip boom: Data

Published: 18 Nov. 2025, 15:39

Company stocks are listed on a screen at Korea Exchange's office in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Nov. 3. [YONHAP]

The combined net profit of listed Korean companies jumped more than 25 percent from a year earlier in the first nine months of the year, the bourse operator said Tuesday, though such an increase was focused on the country's two chipmakers.

The consolidated net profit of 639 companies listed on the main Kospi bourse came to 152.3 trillion won ($103.9 billion) in the January-September period, up 25.8 percent, or 31.2 trillion won, on-year, according to the data from the Korea Exchange.

The figure excludes 42 listed financial companies, including banks, brokerages and insurance companies.

Their combined sales rose 5.4 percent on-year to 2.3 quadrillion won, and operating profit rose 15 percent to 179.6 trillion won.

Of the 639 firms, 502 posted a net profit and 13 posted a net loss.

Excluding market behemoth Samsung Electronics, the remaining companies' net and operating profits rose 34.3 percent and 20.1 percent on-year, respectively, according to the data.

The firms' debt ratio fell by 2 percentage points from the end of 2024 to 109.5 percent.

"The local market was led by the strong performance of semiconductors, mainly Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the country's two chip behemoths," an official from the KRX said.

In the case of 42 listed financial firms, their net profit and operating profit until the end of September rose by 11.3 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

Brokerage firms posted a strong performance, with their combined net profit climbing 36 percent on-year.

Meanwhile, the net profit of 1,217 companies listed on the smaller Kosdaq bourse increased 16.6 percent from a year earlier to 5.3 trillion won in the nine-month period.

Their sales rose 6.1 percent on-year to 213.3 trillion won, while operating profit advanced 9.7 percent to 8.8 trillion won.

Of the 1,217 firms, 678 were in the black and 539 were in the red.

By sector, net profit of companies in the service sector swelled 505.7 percent, followed by chemicals and IT services, whose net profits advanced 290.9 percent and 54.8 percent on-year, respectively.

Analysts expected next year's GDP growth rate to improve, driven by a semiconductor boom, robust performance in the automotive and shipbuilding sectors and increased government spending.

"To that end, policy efforts to help small and medium-sized companies facing prolonged business slumps, intensifying funding constraints and increased default risks are necessary," said Jeong Yong-taek, an analyst from IBK Securities.

Yonhap