KOSDAQTelecom036630

Sejong Telecom

₩7,970▲ 5.28%2026-10-02 close
Market Cap
₩107.9B
Turnover
₩25,555,500
Volume
3,312 shares
Shares out.
14M
PER
—
PBR
0.5×
EPS
-₩1,150
Dividend Yield
3.42%

PER, EPS, PBR and BPS are calculated in-house from the last 4 quarters (2025Q3–2026Q2) · Dividend yield is based on ₩300 per share · Prices as of the 2026-10-02 close

01

Report overview

Telecom and Electrical Construction Twin Engines Seek a Profit Turn

Sejong Telecom is restructuring its revenue base around telecom and electrical construction as twin pillars, and while operating profit turned slightly positive in the second quarter of 2026, overall revenue continues to shrink as the company divests subsidiaries and assets.

  1. 1

    Operating profit turned positive at KRW 1.38 billion in the second quarter of 2026, signaling a possible shift after operating losses persisted from the third quarter of 2025.

  2. 2

    Annual revenue in 2025 fell 23.5% year over year to KRW 284.2 billion, mainly reflecting a narrower consolidation scope after divesting non-core subsidiaries such as ContentsCarrier.

  3. 3

    Owner-attributable net income turned positive at KRW 8.10 billion in 2025, but this reflects a large one-off gain of KRW 17.18 billion booked in the second quarter of 2025 that should be considered separately.

  4. 4

    The debt ratio rose for four consecutive years from 36.8% in 2022 to 105.8% in 2025, while owner-attributable equity shrank sharply over the same period, adding financial-structure pressure.

  5. 5

    The Bundang IDC asset was sold to Fine & Partners Asset Management in July 2025, but Sejong Telecom continues to operate it as a colocation-type IDC under a full-floor lease, marking a shift toward an asset-light structure.

02

Business structure

Sejong Telecom, established in 1996 as a licensed telecommunications carrier, provides comprehensive telecom services including international call service 00365, nationwide representative number 1688, and VoIP internet telephony, alongside its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) brand 'snowman.' The company also offers leased-line and internet services to corporate clients based on its nationwide fiber-optic network and internet data centers (IDC).

Its business is broadly divided into a telecom segment and an electrical construction (SI) segment, with the telecom segment accounting for roughly 61% and the electrical construction segment about 39% of revenue as of the second quarter of 2026.

The electrical construction segment leverages specialized construction expertise in power, telecom, and fire-safety works to participate in railway, power, road and tunnel infrastructure as well as public and private building projects.

Regarding the IDC business, the Bundang IDC asset was sold to Fine & Partners Asset Management in July 2025, but Sejong Telecom continues to fully lease the building and operate it as a colocation-type data center hosting multiple sub-tenants.

This reflects a business restructuring approach that monetizes real estate while maintaining service operations, an asset-light strategy.

The company has continued to streamline non-core operations, divesting its full stake in ContentsCarrier in June 2025 and removing Bibrick and related subsidiaries from its consolidation scope.

Competitively, the telecom segment faces rivalry from the three major mobile carriers, their affiliated MVNOs, and numerous independent MVNO operators, while the electrical construction segment competes with a range of small and mid-sized SI and electrical contractors for project awards.

03

Earnings trend

Quarterly revenue · Operating profit
RevenueOperating profit
Annual revenue · Operating profit
RevenueOperating profit
Quarterly results · Last 5 quarters
QuarterRevenueOperating profitOp. margin
2025Q2₩67.5B-₩4B−6.0%
2025Q3₩71.9B-₩3.6B−5.0%
2025Q4₩67.7B-₩900M−1.3%
2026Q1₩68.8B-₩1.6B−2.3%
2026Q2₩69.5B₩1.4B2.0%
Annual results
YearRevenueOperating profitNet income (parent)Op. marginROEDebt-to-equity
2022₩324.3B-₩5.5B-₩38.9B−1.7%−12.6%36.8%
2023₩339.3B-₩3.1B₩43.4B−0.9%13.9%62.4%
2024₩371.4B-₩12.1B-₩33.5B−3.3%−12.7%82.9%
2025₩284.2B-₩10.8B₩8.1B−3.8%4.8%105.8%

Consolidated basis (financial statements including subsidiaries) · Final figures from DART filings · Net income attributable to owners of the parent · Data as of 2026-08-23

04

Earnings analysis

Sejong Telecom's annual revenue rose from KRW 324.3 billion in 2022 to KRW 339.3 billion in 2023 and KRW 371.4 billion in 2024, before falling 23.5% year over year to KRW 284.2 billion in 2025, a decline attributed mainly to a narrower consolidation scope following the divestiture of subsidiaries such as ContentsCarrier.

Operating profit posted losses for four consecutive years: KRW -5.48 billion in 2022, KRW -3.11 billion in 2023, KRW -12.14 billion in 2024, and KRW -10.75 billion in 2025, though the loss size gradually narrowed after peaking in 2024.

Owner-attributable net income swung sharply year to year: KRW -38.90 billion in 2022, KRW 43.43 billion in 2023, KRW -33.50 billion in 2024, and KRW 8.10 billion in 2025, reflecting one-off disposal gains or losses from subsidiary and asset sales that materially affected net income independent of operating performance.

On a quarterly basis, owner-attributable net income reached KRW 17.18 billion in the second quarter of 2025 even as operating profit posted a loss of KRW -4.03 billion, suggesting a large non-operating gain was booked that quarter.

Net losses continued into the third quarter of 2025 (KRW -5.60 billion), the fourth quarter (KRW -3.44 billion), and the first quarter of 2026 (KRW -2.49 billion), before net income approached breakeven at KRW 0.02 billion in the second quarter of 2026.

Notably, operating profit in the second quarter of 2026 turned positive at KRW 1.38 billion, the first positive quarter among the five quarters spanning the second quarter of 2025 through the first quarter of 2026, potentially signaling improved cost structure.

Operating cash flow (CFO) fluctuated considerably across the period, at KRW 13.88 billion in 2022, KRW -20.19 billion in 2023, KRW 34.53 billion in 2024, and KRW 12.88 billion in 2025, while the debt ratio climbed steadily from 36.8% in 2022 to 105.8% in 2025, indicating equity contraction and liability expansion occurring simultaneously.

05

Industry analysis

South Korea's telecom market remains structured around the three major carriers, while the MVNO segment continues to face profitability pressure from wholesale pricing policy and price competition.

The data center (IDC) market is experiencing a surge in hyperscale investment driven by AI infrastructure demand; SK Telecom's AI data center revenue, for instance, grew 92.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2026, emerging as its fastest-growing business area.

In contrast to this large-carrier and big-tech-driven hyperscale IDC expansion, Sejong Telecom has taken a divergent path by selling its Bundang IDC asset and shifting to a lease-based operating model, a contraction and asset-light approach.

At the same time, the industry has also seen growing private renovation-focused investment interest in small and mid-sized independent IDCs, a trend that touches the colocation-type asset Sejong Telecom continues to operate.

The electrical construction segment is sensitive to domestic construction and infrastructure investment cycles, with performance tied to public-sector order volumes in rail, power, and roads as well as private building activity.

As a company operating both telecom and electrical construction businesses, Sejong Telecom occupies a hybrid position distinct from pure telecom carriers or pure SI firms, which can offer complementary buffering when the two industry cycles diverge but may also amplify earnings volatility when both segments soften simultaneously.

06

Outlook

Sejong Telecom reorganized its management in January 2026, moving to a co-CEO structure under Kim Hyung-jin and Lee Sang-cheol, a change that can be interpreted in the context of ongoing business restructuring and management efficiency efforts.

The company divested its entire stake in ContentsCarrier in June 2025 and removed Bibrick and related subsidiaries from its consolidation scope, and in July 2025 sold its Bundang IDC asset while shifting to a lease-based operating structure, continuing a pattern of non-core asset and business disposals.

While this restructuring generated one-off disposal gains that contributed to the 2025 annual net income turning positive, once the effect of repeated disposals is exhausted, the key question going forward will be whether the core telecom and electrical construction businesses can improve profitability on their own.

The slight turn to operating profit in the second quarter of 2026 can be read as an early signal of cost structure improvement, but whether this trend continues into subsequent quarters has not yet been confirmed.

No specific revenue or profit guidance nor announcements of major new contract wins from the company have been identified, leaving order intake in the electrical construction segment and subscriber and revenue trends in the telecom segment as the key variables that will determine the direction of earnings.

On the financial structure side, with the debt ratio having surpassed 100%, the potential need for further balance-sheet stabilization measures, such as additional asset sales or capital raising, also warrants attention.

07

Valuation

PER
—
PBR
0.5×
ROE
-5.7%
EPS
-₩1,150
BPS
₩16,469
Dividend per share
₩300

Sejong Telecom has posted net losses over the most recent four quarters, placing it in a range where price-to-earnings comparisons are difficult to apply meaningfully.

The stock appears to trade at a discount to net asset value, which can be viewed as reflecting recurring net losses, a shrinking equity base, and the ongoing business restructuring carried out through asset disposals.

While the company does pay a cash dividend, the dividend yield level itself does not stand out as particularly attractive compared with stable dividend-paying peers in the sector.

Given that net income has swung between losses and profits across multiple recent years, it is worth distinguishing whether the recent return to profitability stems from one-off disposal gains or from genuine improvement in core operations.

Ultimately, when assessing valuation, it matters less to focus solely on the price level relative to net assets and more to monitor whether the operating profit turnaround continues into subsequent quarters and whether the rising debt ratio trend stabilizes.

PER, EPS, PBR and BPS are all calculated in-house (the same method as Naver and Toss) · Dividend yield = cash dividend per share from DART filings (supplemented by KRX) ÷ current price · As of 2026-08-23

08

Bull factors

Operating Profit Turned Positive in Q2 2026

Operating profit in Q2 2026 came in at KRW 1.38 billion, marking the first quarterly profit since the operating losses that began in Q2 2025. Revenue was KRW 69.48 billion, showing a modest increase from the previous quarter (KRW 68.79 billion) and signaling a gradual recovery. If this trend continues, it could be interpreted as a substantive result of cost structure improvement.

Profitability Restructuring via Non-Core Asset Divestitures

Through the sale of its stake in ContentsCarrier (June 2025) and the sale of the Bundang IDC asset (July 2025), the company restructured its capital base by divesting non-core businesses and assets.

These divestitures contributed to the 2025 turnaround to profitability in net income attributable to controlling shareholders (KRW 8.097 billion). Asset lightening may secure greater flexibility in future capital allocation.

Business Diversification from Dual Telecom and Construction Operations

The company operates both the telecommunications segment (about 61%) and the electrical construction segment (about 39%), which can provide a cushioning effect against a downturn in either specific industry.

The electrical construction segment is linked to public infrastructure orders such as railways, power, and roads, giving it a demand cycle different from that of the telecom business. If the cycles of the two segments diverge, this could contribute to earnings stabilization.

09

Bear factors

Ongoing Contraction of the Revenue Base

Annual revenue in 2025 was KRW 284.2 billion, down 23.5% year-on-year, mainly due to the reduced scope of consolidation following the sale of subsidiaries and assets.

Since this represents an improvement in profit and loss through business divestiture rather than revenue growth, questions remain about its sustainability. If additional divestitures continue, revenue scale could shrink further.

Four Consecutive Years of Operating Losses

Operating profit recorded losses every year from 2022 to 2025 (-KRW 5.48 billion, -KRW 3.11 billion, -KRW 12.14 billion, -KRW 10.75 billion). Although it turned modestly positive in Q2 2026, it is premature to conclude a trend reversal based on a single quarter's result. Structural improvement in the profitability of the core business has not yet been proven.

Rising Debt Ratio Alongside Shrinking Equity

The debt-to-equity ratio rose for four consecutive years, from 36.8% in 2022 to 105.8% in 2025. Over the same period, equity attributable to controlling shareholders declined sharply, from KRW 313.29 billion (2023) to KRW 170.20 billion (2025). The simultaneous decline in equity and expansion of debt is a burden factor in terms of financial flexibility.

10

Risk factors

Business Structure and Earnings Dependency Risk

The recent turnaround to net profit relies heavily on one-off gains from the sale of subsidiaries and assets. Once the effects of these divestitures are exhausted, the operating loss structure of the core business could once again be fully reflected in net income.

The continuous shrinkage of revenue base and business scope due to repeated asset sales is also a concern in terms of long-term growth momentum.

Industry and Competitive Risk

The MVNO market continues to face profitability pressure due to wholesale pricing policy and competition from MVNOs affiliated with the three major telecom carriers.

In the IDC segment, while major telecom companies and big tech firms are expanding large-scale investments in AI data centers, Sejong Telecom has instead chosen a path of contraction by selling assets, which could reduce its relative presence in a growing market.

The electrical construction segment is also exposed to a decline in order volume if construction and infrastructure investment activity slows.

Financial Soundness Risk

The debt-to-equity ratio has risen to 105.8% in 2025, increasing the burden on the financial structure. Amid the continuous decline in equity attributable to controlling shareholders, additional losses could heighten concerns about financial stability. Future changes in interest expense burden and funding conditions should also be monitored.

11

What to watch next

  1. Around November 2026

    The Q3 2026 quarterly report should be checked to see whether the operating profit turnaround seen in Q2 2026 continued into the third quarter.

  2. During the second half of 2026

    Any disclosures on new orders or public infrastructure contracts in the electrical construction segment should be monitored, as they indicate whether that segment's revenue is recovering.

  3. During the second half of 2026

    The debt ratio and owner-attributable equity trend should be re-checked in the next disclosure to assess whether the financial structure is stabilizing.

  4. Early 2027

    The annual FY2026 business report will be the point to comprehensively confirm whether the Q2 2026 profit turnaround was sustained on a full-year basis.

12

Overall view

Sejong Telecom operates around twin pillars of telecom and electrical construction, and its 2025 annual net income turned positive as the company continued financial restructuring through divestitures of non-core subsidiaries and assets.

However, this return to profitability was largely driven by one-off disposal gains, and operating profit itself posted losses for four consecutive years from 2022 through 2025.

The slight turn to operating profit in the second quarter of 2026 marks a notable development, but it is too early to call it a trend reversal based on a single quarter's results.

Revenue has continued to decline as the consolidation scope narrows following subsidiary and asset sales, while the debt ratio rose markedly from 36.8% in 2022 to 105.8% in 2025, adding to financial pressure alongside the revenue contraction.

The asset-light strategy exemplified by the Bundang IDC sale-and-lease-back aims simultaneously at securing cash and maintaining service continuity, yet Sejong Telecom's relative footprint appears to be shrinking within a growing AI data center market.

Overall, whether the operating profit turnaround persists in subsequent quarters and whether the rising debt ratio stabilizes will likely be the key variables for assessing the company's future earnings and financial structure.

13

Sources

  1. Korea Exchange (KRX) — Prices · Market Cap · Volume
  2. FSS electronic disclosure system (DART) — Financial statements · Dividend filings
Show 18 more articles and sources
  1. cc.narayoung.com
  2. m.saramin.co.kr
  3. saramin.co.kr
  4. m.irgo.co.kr
  5. catch.co.kr
  6. alphasquare.co.kr
  7. jobkorea.co.kr
  8. m.etnews.com
  9. k5.co.kr
  10. incruit.com
  11. ajunews.com
  12. sejongtelecom.net
  13. sejongnetworks.com
  14. ssl.pstatic.net
  15. rbf.cuk.edu
  16. iamnet.co.kr
  17. seoulpi.io
  18. kt-idc.com

Report written 2026-09-05 · Data as of 2026-09-04

This content is AI analysis of market data and web search results, provided for information only. It is not a solicitation or recommendation to invest. Investment decisions and their consequences are the investor's own responsibility. Data may be delayed or contain errors.