Celltrion Decides to Cancel Treasury Shares Worth 100 Billion KRW

Approximately 900 Billion KRW Worth of Treasury Shares to Be Cancelled This Year

Celltrion announced on May 12 that its board of directors has decided to carry out an additional cancellation of treasury shares worth approximately 100 billion KRW. The number of treasury shares to be cancelled this time is about 589,276 shares, with the cancellation scheduled for May 21.

Throughout this year, Celltrion has repeatedly purchased and cancelled treasury shares, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing shareholder value. Including this latest decision, the total value of treasury shares either already cancelled or scheduled for cancellation since January this year amounts to about 900 billion KRW, far surpassing last year’s figure of approximately 700 billion KRW. According to the company’s policy of “cancelling all treasury shares purchased this year,” the total annual cancellation of treasury shares in 2025 is expected to reach the trillion KRW range.

Treasury share purchases have also been active. Including the 100 billion KRW purchase decided on April 28, the total treasury share purchases this year have reached approximately 450 billion KRW, surpassing last year’s total of about 436 billion KRW. Notably, last month, Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jungjin committed to purchasing approximately 50 billion KRW worth of treasury shares on the open market, demonstrating responsible management. Additionally, the holding company Celltrion Holdings decided to purchase 100 billion KRW worth of treasury shares, and the group affiliate Celltrion Skincure decided to purchase 50 billion KRW worth of treasury shares.

Recently, the company also conducted an employee stock ownership plan, closing subscriptions at about 40 billion KRW with strong participation from employees. The number of applicants reached about 850. Such active treasury share purchases at the company level, along with employees’ united participation in the stock ownership plan, are interpreted as stemming from a shared understanding that not only is shareholder value enhancement important, but also that the company’s current share price is undervalued compared to its intrinsic corporate value.

Despite increased uncertainties such as U.S. government tariff policies and short-selling regulations, Celltrion continues to strengthen its products and market competitiveness in the global market with confidence in future growth. Celltrion achieved its goal of building a portfolio of 11 biosimilars ahead of schedule last year, and is now accelerating efforts to obtain approval for 22 biosimilars by 2030. This year, the company is also entering global clinical procedures for next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) new drugs, and plans to actively pursue the development of 13 new drug candidates by 2028.

In particular, Celltrion is actively implementing its value-up program, which aims to achieve an average shareholder return rate of 40% over the next three years. The company also plans to continue its industry-leading shareholder-friendly policies to protect shareholder interests to the fullest extent.

A Celltrion official stated, “Even amid ongoing uncertainty and undervaluation of corporate value, Celltrion is strengthening its competitiveness through bold innovation and global market expansion, taking steady steps toward becoming a global big pharma company. We will continue to prioritize enhancing shareholder value and do our utmost to ensure that the company and its investors can grow together.”