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KT Corporation (KT)
NYSE:KT

KT (KT) AI Stock Analysis

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KT

KT

(NYSE:KT)

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Neutral 68 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:68Neutral
Price Target:
$23.00
â–˛(20.73% Upside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:12/02/25
KT's overall stock score reflects stable financial performance and attractive valuation, tempered by mixed technical indicators and challenges highlighted in the earnings call. The company's strong revenue growth and dividend yield are significant positives, but potential risks from security issues and segment declines warrant caution.
Positive Factors
Revenue Growth
Consistent revenue growth demonstrates KT's expanding market reach and effective service offerings, supporting long-term business stability.
5G Subscriber Growth
High 5G penetration indicates strong adoption of advanced telecom services, positioning KT well in the evolving telecom landscape.
AICT Transformation Plan
The strategic shift towards AICT aims to enhance profitability and competitiveness, ensuring KT's relevance in future tech markets.
Negative Factors
Security Breach
Security issues can undermine customer trust and lead to increased costs for compensation and security enhancements, impacting profitability.
AI and IT Business Revenue Decline
A decline in AI and IT revenue suggests challenges in these segments, potentially affecting KT's growth in tech-driven markets.
Rising Debt Levels
Increased debt levels can strain financial resources and limit flexibility, posing risks to KT's long-term financial health.

KT (KT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

KT Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionKT Corporation provides integrated telecommunications and platform services in Korea and internationally. The company offers fixed-line telephone services, including local, domestic long-distance, international long-distance, and voice over Internet protocol telephone services, as well as interconnection services; broadband Internet access service and other Internet-related services; and data communication services, such as fixed-line and leased line services, as well as broadband Internet connection services. It also provides media and content services, including IPTV, satellite TV, digital music, e-commerce, online advertising consulting, and digital comics and novels services; and credit card processing and other financial services. In addition, the company offers information technology and network services, and satellite services; sells handsets and miscellaneous telecommunications equipment; develops and sells residential units and commercial real estate; and rents real estate properties. Further, it maintains public telephones; offers security, B2C and B2B, investment fund, software development and data processing, value added network, system integration and maintenance, mobile marketing, PCS distribution, satellite broadcasting, cloud system implementation, network installation and management, and data center development and related services. Additionally, the company is involved in the Internet banking ASP and security solutions, residential building development and supply, sports group management, technology business finance, software development and supply, submarine cable construction and maintenance, and trunk radio systems businesses. As of December 31, 2020, the company served approximately 22.3 million mobile subscribers and 8.8 million IPTV subscribers. The company was formerly known as Korea Telecom Corp. and changed its name to KT Corporation in March 2002. KT Corporation was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Seongnam, South Korea.
How the Company Makes MoneyKT generates revenue primarily through its telecommunications services, which include subscription fees from mobile and fixed-line phone services, broadband internet access, and data services. Key revenue streams include monthly charges from mobile users, fees for internet service subscriptions, and enterprise solutions. Additionally, KT earns income from value-added services such as cloud computing, IoT solutions, and digital content. The company benefits from partnerships with technology firms and content providers that enhance its service offerings. Moreover, government contracts and investments in smart city projects contribute to its earnings, as KT collaborates with municipal governments to implement advanced ICT solutions.

KT Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 10, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 08, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call presented materially improved financial results — sizable increases in operating profit (+205%), net income (+340.4%) and EBITDA (+35.5%) — driven by core telecom operations, strong KT Cloud growth (+27.4%), data center expansion and real estate gains. Management also outlined concrete shareholder return actions (DPS +20%, KRW 250 billion buyback) and long-term security investments (KRW 1 trillion over 5 years). Offsetting these positives, a major data breach led to customer remediation (estimated benefits ~KRW 450 billion), temporary subscriber churn (~230,000 exits during a waiver period), modest B2B growth versus peers, and some accounting uncertainties. On balance, the significant financial and strategic progress appears to outweigh the breach-related challenges, though the company faces near-term cost and reputational work to fully restore trust.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Revenue Growth
Operating revenue increased 6.9% year-over-year to KRW 28,244.2 billion, driven by balanced growth across B2C and B2B and contributions from core businesses and real estate.
Strong Profitability Improvement
Operating profit surged 205% YoY to KRW 2,469.1 billion and net income rose 340.4% YoY to KRW 1,836.8 billion, reflecting profitability improvement and one-off gains from real estate projects.
EBITDA Expansion
EBITDA increased 35.5% YoY to KRW 6,349.3 billion, indicating stronger cash operating performance.
Cloud and Data Center Momentum (KT Cloud)
KT Cloud revenue grew 27.4% YoY to KRW 997.5 billion, supported by higher data center usage from global customers and rising AI cloud demand; Gasan AI data center opened as Korea's first commercial liquid-cooling AI hub.
Telecom Core Stability
Wireless revenue rose 2.8% YoY to KRW 7,155.4 billion with 5G penetration reaching 81.8%; broadband revenue grew 1.9% YoY to KRW 2,533.5 billion due to GiGA subscriber and value-added service growth.
Subsidiary Performance and Real Estate
KT Estate revenue increased 15.9% YoY to KRW 719.3 billion (hotel business and new property developments); content subsidiaries maintained flat revenue despite PlayD divestment with growth from StudioGenie, Nasmedia and Millie's Library.
Shareholder Returns and Capital Actions
Annual DPS increased 20% YoY to KRW 2,400 in 2025 (year-end dividend KRW 600 per share noted), and management announced a KRW 250 billion share buyback and cancellation plan for the year.
Security and Strategic Partnerships
Launched SOTA K (AI model with Microsoft) and secure public cloud; Palantir partnership showing early business outcomes in financial sector; KT committed to KRW 1 trillion security investment over 5 years to strengthen zero-trust, AI monitoring, access control and encryption.
Stable Cost and Capital Management
Operating expenses were flat YoY at KRW 25,775.1 billion due to lower labor costs and depreciation, and net debt-to-equity improved slightly to 37.4% (down 0.4 percentage points YoY). Total CapEx for KT group was KRW 2,939.7 billion in 2025.
Negative Updates
Major Data Breach and Customer Impact
A significant data breach occurred in the prior year; management apologized and implemented customer remediation measures (free USIM replacement, cancellation fee waivers, appreciation packages). The estimated customer benefit was about KRW 450 billion, and some related costs were already booked in 2025 with further accounting treatment for 2026 to be finalized.
Subscriber Churn from Compensation Measures
During the 14-day cancellation fee waiver period, approximately 230,000 subscribers left the company, creating churn and short-term customer disruption (though net additions previously offset the impact on a full-year basis).
B2B Growth Rate Perception and Pressure
Reported B2B service revenue grew modestly 1.3% YoY and management acknowledged B2B growth appears slower than some peers; combined KT Cloud and B2B gives a higher combined growth (~6% on a comparable basis), but peer-comparative concerns remain.
Decline in Home Telephony
Home Telephony revenue declined 5.8% YoY to KRW 658.9 billion, reflecting continued structural decline in legacy voice services.
Short-term Cost Increases from Trust Measures
Customer trust restoration actions and security investments will raise short-term costs (customer remediation and planned KRW 1 trillion security investment over 5 years), which management says are necessary but may pressure near-term expenses.
Uncertainties and Accounting/Regulatory Follow-up
Some 2025 figures are based on K-IFRS estimates not yet audited and additional costs related to the breach require consultation with external auditors for 2026 accounting, creating short-term reporting uncertainty.
Company Guidance
KT’s guidance stressed shareholder returns, security investment and improving 2026 earnings: management plans a KRW 250 billion share buyback/cancellation this year, a KRW 1 trillion security investment over five years, and expects 2026 profit to be higher than 2025. For context, FY2025 baseline results were revenue KRW 28,244.2 billion (+6.9% YoY), operating profit KRW 2,469.1 billion (+205%), net income KRW 1,836.8 billion (+340.4%), EBITDA KRW 6,349.3 billion (+35.5%), operating expense KRW 25,775.1 billion (flat); balance sheet metrics included debt-to-equity 120.7% and net debt-to-equity 37.4% (‑0.4 ppt YoY); total CapEx KRW 2,939.7 billion (KT KRW 2,143.9bn; subsidiaries KRW 795.8bn). Business highlights and targets cited: wireless revenue KRW 7,155.4bn (+2.8%) with 5G penetration 81.8%, broadband KRW 2,533.5bn (+1.9%), media +1.7%, home telephony KRW 658.9bn (‑5.8%), B2B +1.3% (combined B2B+KT Cloud ~6% growth), KT Cloud KRW 997.5bn (+27.4%), and KT Estate KRW 719.3bn (+15.9%); management also noted a potential KRW ~450bn customer benefit related to the breach (not fully expensed) and ~230,000 churn during a 14‑day waiver, while signaling focus on AX/AI/cloud expansion and cost rationalization in wireless.

KT Financial Statement Overview

Summary
KT demonstrates stable financial performance with consistent revenue growth and improved operational efficiency. However, profitability and cash conversion metrics indicate areas for improvement, particularly in net profit margin and cash flow conversion.
Income Statement
75
Positive
KT's income statement shows a stable revenue growth trend with a TTM growth rate of 1.72%. The gross profit margin has improved significantly to 49.88% in the TTM, indicating strong cost management. However, the net profit margin remains modest at 3.54%, suggesting room for improvement in profitability. The EBIT and EBITDA margins have shown positive trends, reflecting operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
70
Positive
The balance sheet reflects a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57 in the TTM, indicating a balanced approach to leveraging. The return on equity is relatively low at 5.65%, suggesting limited returns on shareholder investments. The equity ratio is stable, indicating a solid capital structure.
Cash Flow
68
Positive
KT's cash flow statement shows a strong free cash flow growth rate of 76.98% in the TTM, highlighting improved cash generation. However, the operating cash flow to net income ratio is low at 0.37, indicating potential challenges in converting income into cash. The free cash flow to net income ratio is also modest at 0.08, suggesting limited cash available for reinvestment or dividends.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue27.97T26.43T26.29T25.65T24.90T24.10T
Gross Profit14.53T9.15T16.72T9.63T14.86T9.83T
EBITDA5.18T4.24T5.53T5.86T4.77T4.38T
Net Income963.71B470.29B993.33B1.26T1.36T700.89B
Balance Sheet
Total Assets43.01T42.00T42.79T40.99T37.16T33.66T
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments3.89T5.06T4.32T3.77T4.21T3.84T
Total Debt11.59T11.58T11.40T10.01T8.44T7.32T
Total Liabilities23.75T24.04T24.25T22.58T20.59T18.11T
Stockholders Equity17.45T16.18T16.73T16.61T14.98T14.01T
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow695.09B2.16T1.33T-390.07B1.31T1.02T
Operating Cash Flow4.62T5.07T5.50T3.60T5.56T4.74T
Investing Cash Flow-4.29T-2.85T-4.62T-4.84T-5.14T-3.76T
Financing Cash Flow-392.95B-1.39T-452.79B669.33B-41.28B-647.59B

KT Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price19.05
Price Trends
50DMA
20.18
Positive
100DMA
19.41
Positive
200DMA
19.75
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
1.22
Negative
RSI
90.44
Negative
STOCH
95.85
Negative
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KT, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 19.05 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 21.97, below the 50-day MA of 20.18, and below the 200-day MA of 19.75, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 1.22 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 90.44 is Negative, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 95.85 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for KT.

KT Risk Analysis

KT disclosed 26 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. KT reported the most risks in the "Legal & Regulatory" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

KT Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
75
Outperform
$20.46B15.4715.54%6.14%-5.21%-7.45%
74
Outperform
$6.20B14.877.60%5.57%19.02%9.26%
73
Outperform
$12.39B16.0917.96%7.82%-4.90%14.83%
68
Neutral
$10.73B9.1310.38%4.13%0.63%-21.51%
68
Neutral
$4.99B-33.08-2.95%0.40%15.38%-292.52%
61
Neutral
$12.60B46.273.10%5.02%-8.16%-52.52%
60
Neutral
$48.67B4.58-11.27%4.14%2.83%-41.78%
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
KT
KT
24.54
6.91
39.19%
TLK
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk
21.00
5.93
39.36%
SKM
Sk Telecom
31.17
8.33
36.47%
TEO
Telecom Argentina
11.46
-0.32
-2.72%
TIMB
TIM
26.19
12.99
98.36%
TKC
Turkcell Iletisim
7.00
-0.03
-0.40%

KT Corporate Events

KT Corporation to Dispose Treasury Shares for Employee RSU Grants
Jan 20, 2026

On January 20, 2026, KT Corporation’s board approved the disposal of 1,383 common treasury shares, representing a small portion of its 10,926,622-share treasury stock position (4.34% of total outstanding shares), at an indicative price of KRW 53,600 per share for an estimated KRW 74.1 million in proceeds. The shares, scheduled to be disposed of over the counter on January 28, 2026, will be used to fund Restricted Stock Unit grants for eligible employees, underscoring KT’s continued use of equity-based compensation while having only a minimal dilutive or balance-sheet impact given the limited volume relative to its total outstanding shares and existing treasury holdings, with the final disposal value subject to the market closing price on the transaction date.

The most recent analyst rating on (KT) stock is a Hold with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KT stock, see the KT Stock Forecast page.

KT Corporation Announces Early Resignation of Outside Director
Dec 17, 2025

In a recent development, KT Corporation announced the early resignation of outside director Seung Ah Theresa Cho, effective March 26, 2024, due to a statutory disqualification under the Korean Commercial Act. This change reduces the number and percentage of outside directors on KT’s board, marking a notable adjustment in the company’s governance structure and presenting potential implications for investor confidence and decision-making dynamics.

The most recent analyst rating on (KT) stock is a Hold with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KT stock, see the KT Stock Forecast page.

KT Corporation’s Financial Stability Confirmed in Latest Review
Dec 2, 2025

KT Corporation released its consolidated interim financial statements for the period ending September 30, 2025, reviewed by Deloitte Anjin LLC. The report indicates no material misstatements, suggesting a stable financial position and performance for the company. This review, dated November 14, 2025, provides stakeholders with confidence in KT’s financial health, reflecting positively on its industry positioning.

The most recent analyst rating on (KT) stock is a Hold with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KT stock, see the KT Stock Forecast page.

KT Corporation Unveils Ambitious AICT Transformation Plan
Nov 12, 2025

On November 11, 2025, KT Corporation announced its Corporate Value-Up Plan, aiming to transform into an AICT (AI and ICT) company by 2028. The plan includes tripling AI/IT revenue from 2023 levels, enhancing profitability, and optimizing assets. KT has already strengthened its AI capabilities through strategic partnerships and aims to achieve a consolidated ROE of 9-10%. The company plans to liquidate non-core assets and conduct share buybacks to enhance capital efficiency. This strategic shift has already resulted in a 55% increase in market capitalization since early 2023, positioning KT as a competitive player in the global tech landscape.

The most recent analyst rating on (KT) stock is a Hold with a $20.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KT stock, see the KT Stock Forecast page.

KT Corporation Reports Strong Q3 2025 Results with Revenue and Profit Growth
Nov 7, 2025

KT Corporation reported a 7.1% year-over-year increase in revenue for the third quarter of 2025, driven by growth in its telecom, real estate, and cloud/data center businesses. The company’s operating profit rose by 16.0%, reflecting efforts to enhance profitability and gains from real estate development. KT has also launched new AI models and strengthened its security measures following hacking incidents, with plans to invest KRW 1 trillion over five years in security. The company announced a dividend payment scheduled for November 20, 2025, and is focusing on integrating AI into its core business areas to accelerate growth.

The most recent analyst rating on (KT) stock is a Buy with a $21.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on KT stock, see the KT Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Dec 02, 2025