Hankook & Company Group's business-type holding company Hankook & Company(000240) said on the 12th that second-quarter operating profit on a consolidation basis came to 100.2 billion won, up 35.6% from a year earlier. Revenue, however, fell 1.2% to 339.6 billion won.
The second-quarter operating margin widened by 8 percentage points year over year to 29.5%. A Hankook & Company official said operating profit improved as equity-method gains increased, helped by higher sales volume at the group's core affiliate Hankook Tire & Technology(161390), an improved product mix, and favorable exchange rates.
The battery business saw revenue and operating profit decline from a year earlier due to U.S. tariff policy, geopolitical risks, and higher prices for sub-materials. However, it said it defended profitability and maintained its global market responsiveness by expanding sales of high value-added AGM batteries. A Hankook & Company official said the company plans to respond flexibly to market changes by broadening its lineup of high value-added products and pursuing region-specific strategies in parallel.
Hankook & Company plans to focus on expanding the core role of a holding company by enhancing each affiliate's competitiveness and laying the groundwork for sustainable growth. Based on its unified "Hankook" branding strategy, it will strengthen group synergy and upgrade its business portfolio with a focus on tires, batteries, and automotive thermal management systems.
A Hankook & Company official said, "Even as global trade conditions and cost pressures persist, we have secured a stable revenue base with a sales strategy centered on premium products and the competitiveness of our key affiliates," adding, "We will continue to respond flexibly to market changes and enhance the group's business competitiveness and corporate value."