SK Square Posts 8.8 Trillion Won in Operating Profit Last Year... "Record-High Earnings"

Focus on AI and Semiconductor Portfolios
Market Capitalization Up Eightfold from Last Year
Preparing New Investments Across the AI and Semiconductor Value Chain

SK Square announced on the 24th that, on a consolidated basis for last year, it posted record-high earnings with revenue of 1.4115 trillion won, operating profit of 8.7974 trillion won, and net profit of 8.8187 trillion won.

SK Square focused on its artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor portfolios last year and delivered profitability-driven management performance, resulting in the company ranking fifth in KOSPI market capitalization based on the closing price that day.

SK Square’s current market capitalization is approximately 81.5 trillion won, about eight times higher than the level in early January last year (10.6 trillion won).

By concentrating on its AI and semiconductor portfolios, SK Square significantly enhanced its corporate value. While increasing equity-method gains from SK Hynix, it also rapidly liquidated stakes in existing portfolio companies such as Dreamus Company and Incross.

In addition, the company made a joint investment of 30 billion won in seven high-growth AI and semiconductor companies in the United States and Japan, achieving up to sevenfold returns, and is steadily securing the market intelligence needed for its investment business.

At the same time, it is preparing new investments by seeking opportunities in areas that resolve AI evolution bottlenecks and across the semiconductor value chain.

In terms of profitability-focused management performance, the combined annual operating profit and loss of its major ICT portfolios improved by 77.5 billion won (62%) from 2024, to minus 47.4 billion won.

In particular, Tmap Mobility turned profitable, recording EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of 4.4 billion won and net profit of 23.3 billion won.

Meanwhile, SK Square achieved all the targets in its corporate value enhancement plan (net asset value discount rate, return on equity, and price-to-book ratio) that it announced in November 2024, within just over a year of the announcement.

The company plans, following approval at the shareholders’ meeting next month, to transfer 5.89 trillion won of capital surplus to retained earnings. Through this capital transfer, it aims to establish a sustainable shareholder-return framework.