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Communications

KT Corp.

In the news

Company Background

KT is the largest telecommunications company in South Korea. It began life as Korea Telecommunications Authority, established in 1981. Since privatization in 2002, KT has expanded by absorbing mobile service provider KT Freetel and others. The South Korean National Pension Service is the largest shareholder in KT. KT engaged in the mobile phone service at its subsidiary. But it was forced to sell the subsidiary to SK group when it was privatized. The separated company, currently SK Telecom, is the top mobile carrier in South Korea.

KT Freetel is a subsidiary KT established after selling the mobile phone service subsidiary to SK group. KT Freetel currently offers telecom services under the Olleh brand and is one of the largest player in the South Korean market.

The company received capital subscriptions from major Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo in 2005. The companies cooperate in providing roaming services as well as on a technical level.

Hwang Chang-gyu, who was head of Samsung Electronics' semiconductor business, became the telecommunications company's chairman and CEO in 2014.

He implemented various reforms, such as reducing the number of sections and the number of administration staff and reinforcing overseas operations.

He has also decided to participate in plans to construct communications networks in African nations and introduce smart meters in Uzbekistan.

Business Summary

KT Corp. engages in the provision of integrated telecommunication services. It operates through the Customer and Marketing businesses. Its services include wire and wireless phones, internet, and other communication. The company was founded on December 20, 1981 and is headquartered in Seongnam-si, South Korea.

Financial Highlights

Dec 2020 KRWUSD
Revenue23,916.66B20,270.28M
Gross Profit6,502.70B5,511.29M
Operating income1,132.77B960.06M
Income before tax957,015M811.10M
Net income658,025M557.70M
EBITDA4,767.05B4,040.26M
Diluted EPS2,682.782.27
Dividends Per Share1,3501.14
Total Assets33,662.54B30,988.25M
Total liabilities18,111.11B16,672.29M
Total equity14,011.44B12,898.31M
Operating cash flow4,739.82B4,017.18M
Currency in KRWCurrency in USD

Historical Data

KRW | USD
 Dec 2016Dec 2017Dec 2018Dec 2019Dec 2020
Revenue 22,743.66B 23,387.26B 23,460.14B 24,342.06B 23,916.66B
Gross Profit 5,649.56B 6,886.77B 6,567.94B 6,550.25B 6,502.70B
Operating income 1,439.97B 1,371.95B 1,240.39B 1,133.19B 1,132.77B
Income before tax 1,127.02B 837,030M 1,090.74B 979,575M 957,015M
Net income 711,089M 476,744M 688,464M 615,777M 658,025M
EBITDA 4,785.24B 4,736.45B 4,522.13B 4,762.68B 4,767.05B
Diluted EPS 2,902 1,945.12 2,809.47 2,510.25 2,682.78
Dividends Per Share 800 1,000 1,100 1,100 1,350
Total Assets 30,587.73B 29,730.91B 32,188.83B 34,540.09B 33,662.54B
Total liabilities 17,792.95B 16,520.31B 17,457.55B 19,356.55B 18,111.11B
Total equity 11,441.93B 11,819.57B 13,203.56B 13,663.38B 14,011.44B
Operating cash flow 4,770.75B 3,877.74B 4,010.46B 3,745.17B 4,739.82B
 Dec 2016Dec 2017Dec 2018Dec 2019Dec 2020
Revenue 19,603.40M 20,687.35M 21,317.36M 20,873.25M 20,270.28M
Gross Profit 4,869.52M 6,091.73M 5,968.04M 5,616.82M 5,511.29M
Operating income 1,241.15M 1,213.56M 1,127.10M 971.71M 960.06M
Income before tax 971.41M 740.40M 991.11M 839.98M 811.10M
Net income 612.90M 421.70M 625.58M 528.02M 557.70M
EBITDA 4,124.53M 4,189.65M 4,109.09M 4,083.98M 4,040.26M
Diluted EPS 2.50 1.72 2.55 2.15 2.27
Dividends Per Share 0.68 0.88 0.99 0.94 1.14
Total Assets 25,325.16M 27,771.62M 28,848.20M 29,867.35M 30,988.25M
Total liabilities 14,731.70M 15,431.60M 15,645.76M 16,737.90M 16,672.29M
Total equity 9,473.36M 11,040.65M 11,833.26M 11,814.94M 12,898.31M
Operating cash flow 4,112.04M 3,430.08M 3,644.16M 3,211.47M 4,017.18M

Valuation Measures

Dec 2020
PER8.94
ROA1.92%
ROE4.75%
Operating margin4.73%
Profit margin2.75%

Key executives

  • Chief Executive Officer & Director: Hyeon-Mo Ku
  • Co-President, Director & Head-Management Planning: In-Hwe Kim
  • Head-Finance: Il Cho
  • Managing Director & Head-AI Tech: Jin-Han Kim
  • VP & Head-Information Technology Planning: Soo-Jung Shin

Shareholders

  • National Pension Service of Korea (11.6%)
  • KT Corp. (8.9%)
  • Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. (5.4%)
  • T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (Investment Management) (1.0%)
  • Kopernik Global Investors LLC (1.0%)
  • APG Asset Management NV (0.5%)
  • Samsung Asset Management Co., Ltd. (0.5%)
  • KT Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Association (0.4%)
  • Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. (0.3%)
  • Acadian Asset Management LLC (0.2%)

Contact Details

  • Website:http://www.kt.com
  • Address: 90 Buljeong-ro, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, 13606, South Korea
  • Phone: +82.31.727.0114

Related Companies

  • KT SkyLife
  • kt sports Co., Ltd.
  • KT Corp. /Webtoon Bus/
  • K-Realty REIT VII Co., Ltd.
  • OIC Korea Co., Ltd.
  • kt innoedu Co., Ltd.
  • KT Investment, Inc.
  • QCP Investment Purpose Co. III, Inc.
  • KT OIC Co., Ltd.
  • Olleh KT Second Securitization Specialty Co., Ltd.
  • Olleh KT First Securitization Specialty Co., Ltd.
  • Sofnics, Inc.
  • KT China Corp.
  • KTsat
  • Olleh KT Sixth Securitization Specialty Co. Ltd.
  • Olleh KT Fourth Securitization Specialty Co. Ltd.
  • Olleh KT Fifth Securitization Specialty Co. Ltd.
  • KT Capital Corp. (South Korea) /Investment Business/
  • kt-SB data service Co., Ltd.
  • Centios Co., Ltd.
  • KTSC Investment Management BV
  • KTDS Co., Ltd.
  • Kt NexR Co., Ltd.
  • Bluecord Technology
  • Korea Infomation Data Co. Ltd.
  • KT M&S Co. Ltd.
  • kt telecop Co., Ltd.
  • kt mhows Co., Ltd.
  • KT Tech, Inc.
  • Korea Info Service Corp.

Competitors

  • SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
  • LG Uplus Corp
  • Kakao Corp.
  • Samsung Card Co., Ltd
  • Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.
  • LG HelloVision Corp.
  • Taekwang Industrial Co., Ltd.
  • Hyundai Futurenet Co., Ltd
  • KL-Net Corp
  • DB Inc.
  • Inscobee, Inc.
  • KT Skylife Co., Ltd
  • NHN KCP Corp.
  • Dreamus Company
  • Hanyang Digitech Co., Ltd
  • SEOJIN SYSTEM CO.,LTD

Copyright © 2021 FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved.

Last Updated on 16 Apr, 2021

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