KB Financial Group announced on May 28 that it was selected as the "Top Value-Up Excellent Company" by the Korea Exchange and received the Deputy Prime Minister's Award.
On the 27th, at the Value-Up Excellent Companies Awards Ceremony held at the Korea Exchange in Yeouido, Seoul, Yang Jonghee, Chairman of KB Financial Group (right), and Yoon Indae, Vice Minister for Planning and Coordination of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, are taking a commemorative photo. Provided by KB Financial.
The Korea Exchange has implemented the "Value-Up Excellent Companies Awards" starting this year to encourage listed companies to participate in the Value-Up Program. Excellent companies were selected based on the "Value-Up Excellent Company Selection Criteria," with external experts and an advisory panel conducting a three-stage evaluation process, including both quantitative and qualitative assessments.
KB Financial received high marks not only in quantitative indicators (TSR, PBR, ROE) but also across all qualitative categories, such as board participation and efforts to enhance corporate value (shareholder return performance and market evaluation). As a result, the company was honored with the Deputy Prime Minister's Award, which is presented to the top excellent company.
Even before the implementation of the Value-Up Program, KB Financial was the first in the industry to conduct share buybacks and cancellations, and to introduce a quarterly equal dividend system based on total dividends. After the program's launch, KB Financial became the first listed company in Korea to pre-announce its corporate value enhancement plan, and, together with the board of directors, established and disclosed sustainable Value-Up measures. Notably, KB Financial received positive market feedback for introducing Korea's first "Value-Up Framework," which links the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio with shareholder returns, thereby improving the sustainability and predictability of shareholder returns.
These efforts have been reflected in the company's stock price, with its price-to-book ratio (PBR) improving to 0.65 times, and its market capitalization increasing from KRW 21.8 trillion at the end of 2023 to KRW 40.1 trillion as of the previous day.
A KB Financial representative stated, "KB Financial's corporate value enhancement plan aims to continuously improve shareholder value by enhancing the company's fundamental profitability, and we plan to faithfully implement this going forward." The representative added, "As a financial group that grows together with shareholders, customers, and society, we will contribute to the spread of the Value-Up culture."
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