S. Korea's KOSPI Profits Surge to 176 Percent

(MENAFN) South Korea's listed companies delivered a staggering triple-digit surge in earnings during the first quarter of 2026, powered overwhelmingly by a booming semiconductor export cycle, a news agency reported Tuesday, citing data from the Korea Exchange.

Consolidated operating profit among 639 KOSPI-listed firms soared 175.83 percent year-on-year to 156.32 trillion won — approximately 103.7 billion U.S. dollars — in the January-March period. Total revenue climbed 19.49 percent to 927.54 trillion won, while net income rocketed 177.82 percent to 141.44 trillion won.

Profitability metrics reflected equally dramatic improvement, with the operating profit margin expanding 9.55 percentage points to 16.85 percent and the net profit margin rising 8.69 percentage points to 15.25 percent.

Memory chip titans Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix dominated the headline figures, collectively accounting for 20.1 percent of total first-quarter revenue, 60.7 percent of aggregate operating profit, and 61.9 percent of combined net income — underscoring the outsized role both companies play in the broader market's performance.

Even stripping out the two semiconductor giants, the remaining listed firms still recorded solid growth, with revenue, operating profit, and net income expanding 9.07 percent, 44.49 percent, and 55.79 percent respectively on an annual basis.

Fifteen of 20 tracked industries posted revenue growth during the quarter. The electrical and electronics sector alongside medical and precision instruments led with double-digit revenue gains, while the construction and real estate industries were notable laggards, each recording double-digit revenue declines.

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