In early trading on the 15th, NAVER and Kakao shares are rising. Analysts in the securities industry said NAVER and Kakao have secured growth momentum from the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) services, drawing in buyers.
As of 10:08 a.m. that day on the Korea Exchange, NAVER is trading at 212,500 won, up 11,000 won (5.46%) from the previous session. At the same time, Kakao is also trading at 49,900 won, up 1,890 won (3.74%).
Analysts in the securities industry said that NAVER and Kakao's annual results are expected to improve as their AI services expand.
Seon Yu-jin, an analyst at LS Securities, said, "Kakao is closest to an AI super app," and added, "We expect consolidated revenue this year to rise 9% year over year on improved traffic following the launch of its AI agent (assistant) service."
In the first quarter this year, Kakao officially launched "Kanana in KakaoTalk," a life-assistance AI agent that understands conversational context.
The analyst also said, "As Kakao designates AI as a core business pillar, it will continue this year with intensive restructuring to streamline noncore assets and affiliates," adding, "Accordingly, annual profit margins are also expected to improve."
Regarding NAVER, the analyst said, "As AI sophistication and adoption continue to expand in core businesses, the contribution from AI to results is expected to grow."