This article was posted on the ChosunBiz MoneyMove (MM) site at 6:55 a.m. on Dec. 19, 2025.
Mecatro, a company specializing in financial office automation devices, is pursuing a sale of its management rights. The company's valuation is reported to be around 150 billion won.
On the 19th, people in the investment banking (IB) industry said that Kim Mi-kyung, the largest shareholder of Mecatro, and others are negotiating with multiple private equity fund (PEF) managers to sell management rights. Special related parties including Kim Mi-kyung hold 63.89% of the equity, and CEO Kim Hee-dong holds 10.13%.
Mecatro was founded in April 1991 and is an unlisted company headquartered in the Gasan digital complex in Seoul. It manufactures devices that can efficiently process large volumes of banknotes and detect counterfeit bills, as well as banknote recognition modules used in automated teller machines (ATMs), and supplies them to financial and distribution companies and casinos in more than 80 countries. In 1999, it established a corporate research institute and has developed industrial multifunction printers and other products.
Mecatro's performance has steadily improved every year. Last year, sales were 43 billion won and operating profit was about 13.4 billion won. The sale price is expected to be set at about 6 to 8 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), up to around 150 billion won.
Industry sources note that Mecatro has a relatively stable demand base in the financial sector's cash-handling automation field. Its operating margin exceeds 30%, and its high profitability is a major strength. In addition, the high entry barriers in the module and parts business are cited as an investment attraction.