In the first half of 2026, KOSDAQ-listed companies saw their operating profit increase by over 60% compared to the same period last year, indicating a clear improvement in performance. The electronics and retail sectors led this profit growth, with net income nearly tripling and the number of profitable companies significantly rising. However, the debt ratio has increased, indicating a growing financial burden.
According to the Korea Exchange's report on the '2026 Semiannual Settlement Results for KOSDAQ Companies,' the total revenue for 1,264 companies analyzed, excluding financial firms, those undergoing mergers and acquisitions, and companies that did not submit regular (semiannual) reports, reached 183.5753 trillion won, a 27.17% increase from the previous year. Operating profit rose to 9.4279 trillion won, up 61.54%, while net profit surged to 9.7069 trillion won, marking a 286.95% increase.
The operating profit margin improved from 4.04% in the first half of last year to 5.14% this year, an increase of 1.09 percentage points. The net profit margin also rose from 1.74% to 5.29%, a 3.55 percentage point improvement. This suggests that profitability has improved alongside revenue growth.
By sector, the increase in operating profit was particularly notable in the electronics and retail industries. Operating profit increased in 17 sectors, including retail and general services, while it decreased in six sectors, including transportation equipment and parts. Revenue also grew in 19 sectors, such as medical and precision instruments, while it declined in four sectors, including construction.
The positive trend continued into the second quarter. On a consolidated basis, revenue for the second quarter reached 99.0116 trillion won, a 17.09% increase from the first quarter, while operating profit rose to 5.2951 trillion won, up 28.13%. Net profit also increased to 5.2991 trillion won, a 20.22% rise. The operating profit margin improved from 4.89% to 5.35%, an increase of 0.46 percentage points, and the net profit margin improved from 5.21% to 5.35%, a 0.14 percentage point increase.
The number of profitable companies also increased. Among the 1,264 companies analyzed, 800 reported a net profit in the first half, accounting for 63.29% of the total. This is an increase of 121 companies compared to the 679 from the same period last year, representing a 9.57 percentage point rise. Of the profitable companies, 572 maintained profitability, while 228 transitioned from losses to profits. The number of loss-making companies decreased from 585 to 464. In the second quarter alone, the number of profitable companies rose to 810, up from 755 in the first quarter.
Performance also improved for companies included in the KOSDAQ 150 index. The 129 companies in the KOSDAQ 150 reported consolidated revenue of 62.9483 trillion won in the first half, a 63.08% increase from the previous year. Operating profit rose to 4.4683 trillion won, up 58.42%, while net profit surged to 4.3028 trillion won, a 150.18% increase. The operating profit margin was 7.10%, significantly higher than the 4.11% for non-included companies, although it was a 0.21 percentage point decrease compared to the previous year.
However, there are still concerns regarding financial stability. As of the end of the first half, total consolidated assets reached 539.1213 trillion won, a 12.48% increase from the end of last year, while total equity rose to 238.5059 trillion won, a 6.28% increase. In contrast, total liabilities increased by 17.94% to 300.6154 trillion won, outpacing the growth in equity. Consequently, the debt ratio rose from 113.58% at the end of last year to 126.04% at the end of the first half, an increase of 12.46 percentage points.
Meanwhile, improvements were also observed in individual (separate) financial statements. For 1,587 comparable companies, revenue in the first half increased by 10.96% year-on-year, operating profit rose by 36.98%, and net profit surged by 240.23%. Notably, in the second quarter, revenue increased by 11.48%, operating profit by 42.92%, and net profit by 4.20% compared to the first quarter, with the number of profitable companies rising to 1,025, an increase of 48 from the previous quarter.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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