STOCKS | SK Telecom Returns to Profit in Q3, Net Income Reaches KRW 411.8 Billion; Revenue Rises 13.1%

On November 4, South Korean telecom operator SK Telecom reported third-quarter consolidated net income of KRW 411.8 billion, reversing a net loss of KRW 166.7 billion a year earlier and beating market expectations of KRW 346.3 billion. According to Sina Finance, revenue rose 13.1% year over year to KRW 4.4973 trillion, while operating profit surged 1,040.3% to KRW 552.3 billion; both exceeded market expectations. The company said revenue from its wireless and fixed-line telecom businesses returned to growth, supporting an improvement in overall profitability. The sharp increase in operating profit was also affected by a low comparison base a year earlier. In the third quarter of 2025, SK Telecom recorded a net loss after providing customers with compensation, including service-fee reductions, extra data and coupons, following a major data breach. In the third quarter of this year, the impact of those compensation costs faded as wireless revenue gradually recovered. Fixed-line telecom revenue grew 7.4% year over year, partly due to an increase in broadband internet subscribers. SK Telecom continued to expand investment in AI infrastructure. The company launched its SK Hyper and SK Horizon business platforms in July and August, respectively. SK Horizon is developing data center projects in Ulsan and Seoul with a combined capacity of 180 megawatts, while SK Hyper is in talks with potential customers. SK Telecom announced a third-quarter dividend of KRW 830 per share, unchanged from its first- and second-quarter payouts this year.