Journalist

Ryu So-hyun
  • Hana Securities raises Kia target price 40% to 210,000 won on earnings outlook, SDV and robotics
    Hana Securities raises Kia target price 40% to 210,000 won on earnings outlook, SDV and robotics Hana Securities on Wednesday raised its target price for Kia by 40% to 210,000 won from 150,000 won, citing higher earnings estimates, improved readiness in software-defined vehicles (SDVs) and robotics, and a higher valuation multiple for its auto business. It kept its rating at buy. Analyst Song Sun-jae said the firm lifted its 2026 operating profit estimate by 3% to reflect new-model launches and foreign-exchange effects, adding that the expected dividend yield is 4.5%. He said Hana also raised the target multiple for Kia’s auto business to eight times from seven times as it sees improving long-term competitiveness in SDVs and robotics. The higher target price also reflects the value of Kia’s stakes in Hyundai Mobis and Boston Dynamics, he said. Kia’s fourth-quarter results met market expectations. On a consolidated basis, revenue rose 3% from a year earlier to 28.09 trillion won, while operating profit fell 32% to 1.84 trillion won. Operating margin slipped 3.4 percentage points to 6.6%. Global wholesale sales fell 1% to 763,000 vehicles, but gains in North America and India offset weakness in some regions. Hana said higher average selling prices, cost cuts and foreign-exchange effects helped support results, and that the profitability decline was limited when excluding tariff-related costs. Hana’s medium- to long-term view remained positive. It said that despite slower growth in global industry demand in 2026, Kia could improve volume and model mix in key markets through new launches focused on higher-priced vehicles. It cited EV4, EV5, PV5 and Seltos in South Korea; Carnival HEV, Telluride and Seltos in the United States; EV4, EV5, EV2 and K4 in Europe; and Seltos and a strategic electric vehicle in India. Kia has guided for 2026 consolidated revenue of 122.3 trillion won and operating profit of 10.2 trillion won, targeting an operating margin of 8.3%. Song said Kia told a conference call it aims for 3.35 million wholesale sales in 2026, up 6.8% from the prior year. In the United States, he said Kia expects growth and a better mix led by the Telluride — to be launched as a new model for the first time in seven years — with its target rising to 180,000 units from 120,000, along with the Carnival HEV and Seltos. In Europe, he said sales of EV models launched in 2025 are expected to ramp up, and Kia plans to add the lower-priced EV2 model. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-29 08:24:00
  • INTERVIEW: At Wooris Gangnam center, Kim Jae-sang builds home for super-rich
    INTERVIEW: At Woori's Gangnam center, Kim Jae-sang builds home for super-rich SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - With global stock markets buoyant and demand for tangible assets rising, wealthy investors in South Korea are reassessing where to put their money. For Kim Jae-sang, head of Gangnam Financial Center of Woori Securities, the answers lie in gold — and in Asia’s two largest economies. “Gold has transitioned from a safe haven and inflation hedge to an investment asset,” Kim said in an interview. “And when it comes to equities, China and Japan are increasingly becoming key regions for investment.” Kim, a veteran of South Korea’s private banking sector since 2004, joined Woori Securities in April after leading Shinhan Investment’s Gwanghwamun Financial Center. His move was part of a broader effort by Woori Securities to strengthen its still-nascent retail and wealth management business, building on its successes in investment banking. At the newly relocated and expanded Gangnam Financial Center, which reopened Sept. 16, Kim oversees a team catering to high-net-worth clients. The center currently manages about 1.7 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in assets, with a goal of reaching 2 trillion won by year’s end. Asked where he sees the most promising opportunities, Kim pointed to Chinese electric vehicle makers and Japanese equities. “China has companies that are leading the EV transition,” he said. “Japan, despite rate hikes, remains a market where index investing is attractive.” He added that wealthy investors today are more pragmatic, preferring stability and intuitive vehicles such as exchange-traded funds. “What we see now is a growing interest in long-term planning — global equities, alternative investments, AI-driven industries, and intergenerational wealth transfer.” Kim’s strategy at Woori is to harness the client base of Woori Bank, offering tailored solutions that combine global stocks, bonds and alternative assets. In the first half of this year alone, Woori Securities carried out more than 1,000 joint operations with corporate clients, with over 400 at the Gangnam Center. For Kim, the challenge is also personal: to establish Woori Securities as a serious player in retail wealth management. “The potential is there,” he said. “What we’re building now is the foundation.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-02 14:57:18