Hankook & Company, the business-type holding company of Korea & Company Group, said on Feb. 5 that on a consolidation basis it posted sales of 1.4604 trillion won and operating profit of 414.5 billion won last year. Compared with a year earlier, sales rose 5%, but operating profit fell 0.9%.
The Korea Battery (lead-acid battery) sector, which accounts for about 70% of sales, slightly increased sales and operating profit despite U.S. tariff, driving overall results, the company said. Korea Battery is the only company in the domestic lead-acid battery industry with a local production base in the United States, allowing it to respond flexibly to U.S. tariff.
A Hankook & Company official said, "As a business-type holding company, we are maintaining stable growth by expanding high value-added products and strengthening the brand of Korea Battery," and added, "Despite changes in the global business environment such as U.S. tariff, the group's core affiliates are also continuing solid growth."