SK Securities assessed that high growth is expected in the overseas tour segment for Knowmerce. It noted that understanding the limitations of the domestic market, it plans to continue targeting the Americas in the future.
On the 20th, Park Chan-sol, a researcher at SK Securities, said, "The high growth rate of Knowmerce in the entertainment tech sector is thanks to overseas tours," adding, "This year, like last year, revenue from overseas tours will grow significantly."
Knowmerce is a company that has secured intellectual property (IP) in areas such as ▲ artist content production ▲ MD creation and sales ▲ paid messaging and fan club service platforms. Through these, it supports indirect activities for artists and provides services that allow fandom to grow.
Last year, Knowmerce's revenue on a consolidated basis was 689 million won, a 63% increase from the previous year. Operating profit and net profit were 8.1 billion won and 9.8 billion won, respectively, marking a return to profitability. Last year, the revenue composition was estimated to be 42.2% from performances, 37.2% from goods (MD), and 20.6% from platforms.
Knowmerce began its overseas tour business in the second half of 2022 and has since built experience in arena-level theaters. Therefore, according to Park, it is expected to concentrate on targeting the Americas in the future.
Park also analyzed, "Performances are inherently volatile (Beta), but Knowmerce is successfully growing in this area," adding, "The key to the business is to investigate the success of performances in advance with local developers overseas to prevent downturns."
Knowmerce also plays a role in providing businesses that utilize IP during the early growth phases of influencers who lack an agency. Recently, as larger artists show movements toward independence from their agencies, it can take on the IP-related business for artists without agencies.
Park explained, "In the existing influencer industry, typically, the bargaining power of well-known artists is stronger than that of corporations, making it difficult for businesses to secure profit margins even if they proceed with IP-related operations," noting, "This led to the emergence of next-generation influencer commerce, a role that Knowmerce is filling."