Institutions Net Purchase 24.7 Billion KRW of Robotis Shares This Year
Delivery Robot Sales Expected to Begin in Earnest
Collaborating with MIT to Advance Physical AI Technology
Domestic institutional investors have been actively purchasing shares of Robotis, a developer of autonomous driving robots called 'Gaemi,' in the KOSDAQ market this year. With expectations that the robot industry will grow rapidly, Robotis, which possesses advanced technology related to robots, is expected to experience significant growth.
According to the financial investment industry on the 22nd, institutional investors have net purchased Robotis shares worth 24.7 billion KRW this year. This ranks fourth among net purchases of companies listed on the KOSDAQ market. The average purchase price by institutions was 31,194 KRW, and based on the current price of 39,950 KRW, it has recorded an evaluation profit rate of over 28%.
Foreign investors also net purchased more than 10 billion KRW, pushing Robotis' stock price up by 71.8% this year. Considering that the KOSDAQ index rose by 7.1% during the same period, the return rate compared to the market is 64.7 percentage points.
Robotis develops autonomous driving robots and produces robot-specific actuators. It has secured the largest amount of outdoor driving data for autonomous driving robots in Korea. It provided large-scale lunch delivery services to consumers in the Magok area of Gangseo-gu, Seoul. In 2021, it collaborated with a global logistics company in the United States to conduct a demonstration of outdoor logistics delivery services. It has enhanced product competitiveness by applying an automatic charging function for the first time in outdoor autonomous driving robots.
Robot-specific actuators refer to drive devices. Dynamixel, developed by Robotis, can efficiently control the entire robot system through a network. It integrates functions such as motor, reducer, controller, and communication into a single module and is used in robot joints and mobility devices.
Robotis is collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States to develop robot technology that advances physical artificial intelligence (AI). In November last year, Robotis and MIT were selected for an international joint research and development (R&D) project organized by the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Physical AI is a technology that enables robots to implement precise physical forces like humans and is a field gaining attention in the robot industry recently. To realize manipulation abilities similar to humans, robots need to have a high-level sensing system and react reflexively based on the results, for which physical AI technology is necessary.
Lee Sang-soo, a researcher at iM Securities, explained, "Sales related to delivery robots will start to occur in earnest from this year," adding, "A significant portion of the supply volume to LG Electronics and sales of products for major coffee franchises were deferred to this year." He continued, "Humanoid companies worldwide are planning mass production either this year or next year," and added, "As the supply chain for parts for humanoid commercialization is established, Robotis will benefit."
Park Chan-sol, a researcher at SK Securities, analyzed, "With the transition to an aging society, the help of new robot technologies is necessary," and "It is also necessary to lower product prices through labor provided by robots." He emphasized, "The service robot sector will show a stock price trend opposite to domestic consumption sectors in the mid to long term," and "Robotis' autonomous driving division will consistently record operating profits on a quarterly basis."
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