SK Telecom's core telecom business is contracting under regulatory price caps, with revenue declining for four consecutive quarters and operating margins swinging wildly due to non-recurring items, obscuring its true earnings power. While the company maintains...
Price trend, volume and key moving averages
Start with the evidence for owning the stock and the risks that can break the thesis.
Revenue has contracted for four consecutive quarters, with Q2 2026 showing a -4.7% YoY decline, while operating margin has swung from 0.7% in Q4 2025 to 36.4% in Q2 2026, indicating volatile earnings heavily influenced by non-operational items.
SK Telecom is actively building AI infrastructure and has a first-mover advantage in agentic AI. Its $100 million investment in Anthropic, made in August 2023, is now valued at approximately $2 billion, with Anthropic anticipating an IPO in 2026.
Despite the earnings hit in 2025, SK Telecom generated substantial cash from operations, which is crucial for funding its ambitious AI plans.
SKM is trading at a lower EV/EBITDA multiple compared to its Asian telecom peers, suggesting potential for a re-rating as it monetizes its AI investments. Analysts view its Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio as more attractive compared to US peers.
Trailing total returns as of 10/3/2026, which may include dividends or other distributions. Benchmark is S&P 500 (^GSPC).
Check whether operating performance supports the current valuation.
Recent results and news deserve attention only when they alter the forward view.
| Quarter | EPS (Act vs Est) | Revenue (Act vs Est) |
|---|---|---|
Q3 2026Latest Aug 5, 2026 | $0.81+37.3% vs $0.59 | $3.1B+3.4% vs $3.0B |
Q2 2026 May 11, 2026 | $0.56+7.3% vs $0.52 | $3.0B+1.2% vs $3.0B |
Q2 2026 May 7, 2026 | $0.57+9.2% vs $0.52 | $3.0B+1.2% vs $3.0B |
Q1 2026 Feb 5, 2026 | $0.64+518.4% vs $0.10 | $2.9B-1.7% vs $3.0B |
Nykredit A S purchased a new stake in shares of SK Telecom Co., Ltd. (NYSE: SKM) in the undefined quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 347,052 shares of the Wireless communications provider's stock, valued at approximately $11,161,000.
Anthropic is barreling toward what could be the largest IPO in history, with investors and bankers reportedly targeting a valuation near $2 trillion and a raise exceeding $86 billion when the offering launches as soon as mid-October — but retail investors still can't buy Anthropic stock directly.
SKM's SK Horizon spin-off targets AI data center growth with KRW 3.08 trillion from KKR and IMM, reshaping its infrastructure strategy.
KKR and a consortium of South Korean firms are investing $2.2 billion in an AI data-center company being created by telecommunications firm SK Telecom through a spinoff.
Benchmark SKM against direct peers instead of judging its metrics in isolation.
Key metrics vs top competitors for SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM)
| Company | Price | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | Rev Growth (1Y) | Net Margin | ROE | Div Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.59 | $13.66B | 47.21 | -4.69% | 2.39% | 3.35% | 3.44% | |
| $18.71 | $9.02B | 7.18 | 7.1% | 4.68% | 6.5% | — | |
| $11.36 | $18.15B | 15.55 | 4.62% | 10.7% | 9.72% | — | |
| $11.14 | $2.13B | 12.43 | 4.05% | 7.42% | 11.66% | — | |
| $17.55 | $3.79B | 7.78 | 2.98% | 12.84% | 22.37% | — | |
| $24.31 | $166.58B | 8.00 | 2.71% | 16.89% | 16.82% | — |
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) vs competitors — business, growth, and fundamentals comparison against the closest industry rivals.
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SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) stock FAQ — growth, dividends, profitability & financials explained
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) reported $17.06T in revenue for fiscal year 2025. This represents a 393% increase from $3.46T in 1998.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) saw revenue decline by 4.7% over the past year.
Yes, SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) is profitable, generating $747.34B in net income for fiscal year 2025 (2.4% net margin).
Yes, SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) pays a dividend with a yield of 3.44%. This makes it attractive for income-focused investors.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) has a return on equity (ROE) of 3.3%. This is below average, suggesting room for improvement.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) generated $336.23B in free cash flow for fiscal year 2025. Positive FCF indicates the company can fund dividends, buybacks, or reinvestment.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) has a dividend payout ratio of 156%. The high payout ratio may limit dividend growth.
