First-Quarter Operating Profits of Major Conglomerates Reach 156 Trillion Won... "Semiconductor Duo" Samsung and SK hynix Account for 60%

Revenue Tops 1,036 Trillion Won; Operating Profit Soars 158%
Petrochemicals Stage Surprise 567% Rebound on Rising Oil Prices

In the first quarter of this year, the combined operating profit of major domestic conglomerates surpassed 156 trillion won. Two semiconductor giants—Samsung Electronics and SK hynix—riding the wave of artificial intelligence (AI) enthusiasm, accounted for more than 60% of total profits and led the surge in growth.

Top 10 and Bottom 10 Operating Profits in Q1 2026. CEO Score.

On May 17, CEO Score, a corporate data research institute, announced the results of its survey of first-quarter performance among 328 companies that submitted quarterly reports, out of Korea's top 500 companies by revenue. The total operating profit of these companies soared 158.6% year-on-year to 156.0351 trillion won. During the same period, total revenue grew by 29.4%, reaching 1,036.397 trillion won and surpassing the 1,000 trillion won mark for the first time.

By company, Samsung Electronics ranked an unrivaled first. Its first-quarter operating profit skyrocketed by 756.1% year-on-year to 57.2328 trillion won. SK hynix, in second place, also posted an operating profit of 37.6103 trillion won, up 405.5% compared to the same period last year. Together, the two companies generated a combined operating profit of 94.8431 trillion won, sweeping up 60.8% of the total profits among large corporations.

They were followed by Korea Electric Power Corporation (3.7842 trillion won), Hyundai Motor Company (2.5147 trillion won), Kia (2.2051 trillion won), LG Electronics (1.6737 trillion won), and GS Caltex (1.6367 trillion won) in terms of profit scale. In the financial sector, Mirae Asset Capital (1.4474 trillion won) and Mirae Asset Securities (1.3750 trillion won) made it into the top 10.

On the other hand, the battery industry, hit hard by the slowdown in electric vehicle demand (the so-called "chasm"), struggled to avoid poor performance. LG Energy Solution posted an operating loss of 207.8 billion won in the first quarter, recording the largest deficit, while Samsung SDI (a loss of 155.6 billion won) and LG Chem (a loss of 49.7 billion won) also reported losses. Entertainment giant HYBE (a loss of 196.6 billion won), energy company E1 (a loss of 156.2 billion won), and Asiana Airlines (a loss of 52.4 billion won) also appeared on the list of companies in the red.

By industry, profits increased in 16 out of 19 sectors, signaling a broad recovery. In particular, the petrochemical sector posted the highest growth rate, with operating profit surging 567.1% year-on-year to 8.0676 trillion won, as product prices rose in tandem due to the impact of conflicts in the Middle East. In addition, the IT, electrical, and electronics sector, home to Samsung and SK, saw a 493.1% increase in operating profit to 98.1237 trillion won, while the securities sector grew by 121.6% thanks to increased trading volume.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.