KT Corporation (KT)
NYSE:KT
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KT
(NYSE:KT)
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Rating:63Neutral
Price Target:
$20.00
▲(4.99% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:03/17/26
KT scores as moderately attractive mainly on improved 2025 profitability and a reasonable balance sheet, supported by shareholder-return commitments and a solid dividend yield. The score is held back by inconsistent free-cash-flow conversion and weak near-term technical momentum, with the data-breach remediation and security spending adding execution and cost risk.
Positive Factors
Profitability rebound
A large 2025 profit recovery and EBITDA expansion reflect meaningful operating leverage and improved core margins. Sustained higher profitability increases internal funding for capex, cloud expansion and shareholder returns, strengthening financial flexibility over the medium term.
Negative Factors
Major data breach remediation
A large breach imposes persistent reputational and retention risks and requires ongoing remediation and trust-restoration spending. Even after one-off costs, sustained customer skepticism and higher security outlays can raise operating costs and slow subscriber growth for multiple quarters.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Profitability rebound
A large 2025 profit recovery and EBITDA expansion reflect meaningful operating leverage and improved core margins. Sustained higher profitability increases internal funding for capex, cloud expansion and shareholder returns, strengthening financial flexibility over the medium term.
Read all positive factors
KT (KT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$9.12B
Dividend Yield4.13%
Average Volume (3M)1.12M
Price to Earnings (P/E)11.2
Beta (1Y)0.22
Revenue Growth13.45%
EPS Growth148.36%
CountryUS
Employees18,617
SectorCommunication Services
Sector Strength97
IndustryTelecommunications Services
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)3548.98
Shares Outstanding504,043,370
10 Day Avg. Volume1,114,649
30 Day Avg. Volume1,120,637
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.03
Price to Book (P/B)0.78
Price to Sales (P/S)0.49
P/FCF Ratio10.10
Enterprise Value/Market Cap2.51K
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.10
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit1.72
Enterprise Value/Ebitda4.93
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$23.08Price Target Upside21.15% Upside
Rating ConsensusHold
Number of Analyst Covering1
EPS Forecast (FY)2.03
Revenue Forecast (FY)$18.88B
KT Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
KT 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 Intern...
How the Company Makes Money
KT primarily makes money by charging recurring subscription and usage fees for telecommunications and related services across consumer and enterprise markets. Key revenue streams typically include: (1) Wireless services: monthly mobile service fee...
KT Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:Feb 10, 2026
(Q4-2025)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Aug 18, 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.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.
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.
Read all updates
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive
Negative
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.
Read all positive updates
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
Income Statement
66
Positive
Balance Sheet
64
Positive
Cash Flow
57
Neutral
| Breakdown | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | |||||
| Total Revenue | 28.25T | 28.62T | 23.58T | 22.59T | 25.83T |
| Gross Profit | 18.10T | 8.37T | 5.92T | 5.23T | 7.46T |
| EBITDA | 6.70T | 5.05T | 5.20T | 5.03T | 5.45T |
| Net Income | 1.72T | 509.28B | 978.71B | 1.22T | 1.41T |
Balance Sheet | |||||
| Total Assets | 42.95T | 42.01T | 42.78T | 40.64T | 37.14T |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 5.02T | 4.89T | 4.27T | 3.70T | 4.17T |
| Total Debt | 12.21T | 11.62T | 11.39T | 11.08T | 9.59T |
| Total Liabilities | 23.49T | 23.96T | 24.24T | 22.38T | 20.58T |
| Stockholders Equity | 17.65T | 16.26T | 16.72T | 16.47T | 14.97T |
Cash Flow | |||||
| Free Cash Flow | 1.36T | 2.16T | 1.33T | -390.07B | 1.31T |
| Operating Cash Flow | 5.01T | 5.07T | 5.50T | 3.60T | 5.56T |
| Investing Cash Flow | -4.56T | -2.85T | -4.62T | -4.84T | -5.14T |
| Financing Cash Flow | -655.68B | -1.39T | -452.79B | 669.33B | -41.28B |
KT Technical Analysis
Negative
19.05
Price Trends
21.48
Negative
21.33
Negative
20.28
Negative
Market Momentum
-0.65
Positive
20.98
Positive
1.30
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For KT, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 19.05 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 20.84, below the 50-day MA of 21.48, and below the 200-day MA of 20.28, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.65 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 20.98 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 1.30 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative 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
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
68 Neutral | $10.43B | 20.05 | 17.55% | 7.82% | 8.21% | 30.97% | |
65 Neutral | $14.09B | 12.72 | 3.00% | 5.02% | -7.08% | -73.85% | |
64 Neutral | $17.24B | 324,222.53 | 13.00% | 6.14% | -6.44% | -27.87% | |
63 Neutral | $9.12B | 11.21 | 8.77% | 4.13% | 13.45% | 148.36% | |
63 Neutral | $5.47B | -42.68 | -2.67% | 0.40% | 61.86% | -115.00% | |
60 Neutral | $48.67B | 4.58 | -11.27% | 4.14% | 2.83% | -41.78% | |
59 Neutral | $5.11B | 549.75 | 7.27% | 5.57% | 18.57% | 5.36% |
* Communication Services Sector Average
KT
KT
18.85
-0.54
-2.78%
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TIMB
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KT Corporate Events
KT Sets FY2026–FY2028 Shareholder Return Policy Tied to Net Income
May 12, 2026
KT Corporation, the South Korean telecommunications operator, has announced a new shareholder return policy for fiscal years 2026 through 2028, as disclosed in a Form 6-K dated May 12, 2026. The company plans to base shareholder returns on 50% of ...
KT Sets May 27, 2026 Record Date for Quarterly Dividend Eligibility
May 12, 2026
KT Corporation’s board of directors on May 12, 2026, approved the setting of May 27, 2026, as the record date for determining shareholders eligible to receive a quarterly cash dividend. All seven outside directors were present, and the move ...
KT Corporation Board Approves Quarterly Cash Dividend for May 2026
May 12, 2026
KT Corporation’s board of directors on May 12, 2026 approved a quarterly cash dividend for common shareholders, reflecting its continued focus on shareholder returns within the telecom sector. The decision underscores the company’s pra...
KT Corporation Posts Lower Q1 2026 Profit but Boosts Dividends and Buybacks
May 12, 2026
KT Corporation reported its first-quarter 2026 results on May 12, 2026, showing consolidated revenue of KRW 6.78 trillion, down 1.0% year on year, and operating profit of KRW 482.7 billion, down 29.9% due mainly to a high base from a prior real es...
KT to Hold May 12 Conference Call on Q1 2026 Earnings
May 4, 2026
KT Corporation has scheduled a conference call for May 12, 2026, at 15:00 KST to present its financial results for the first quarter of 2026 to analysts and institutional investors. The company plans to release detailed investor relations material...
KT Corporation Gains Clean Audit Opinions on 2025 Financials and Internal Controls
Apr 14, 2026
KT Corporation, the South Korean telecoms group, has filed a Form 6-K for April 2026 reporting that its consolidated and separate financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 have been audited under Korean standards. The fil...
KT Shareholders Approve 2025 Results, Dividend and Governance Overhaul at March 31 AGM
Mar 31, 2026
At its 44th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on March 31, 2026, KT Corporation approved its 2025 financial statements, reporting consolidated revenue of KRW 28.24 trillion, operating profit of KRW 2.47 trillion and net income of KRW 1.8...
KT Corporation Appoints Yoon-Young Park as New CEO Effective March 31, 2026
Mar 31, 2026
KT Corporation announced a leadership change with the appointment of industry veteran Yoon-Young Park as its new chief executive officer and representative director, effective March 31, 2026. Park, who has no disclosed relationship with KT’s...
KT Calls March 31 AGM as AICT Push Delivers Higher 2025 Earnings
Mar 10, 2026
KT Corporation has convened its 44th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for March 31, 2026 in Seoul, with voting rights granted to holders of common shares as of December 31, 2025. The meeting will cover FY2025 performance, audit results and g...
KT Corporation to Sell Treasury Shares for FY2025 Executive and Director Incentives
Mar 10, 2026
On March 10, 2026, KT Corporation’s board approved the disposal of 106,657 common treasury shares at an indicative price of KRW 59,500 per share, for an estimated total of about KRW 6.35 billion. The sale, to be executed over the counter bet...
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.