Cash conversion efficiency is obscured by volatility, as demonstrated by an OCF/NI ratio that reached an extreme 15.67x in 2025Q2, while high capital intensity is reflected in a CapEx/Revenue ratio that peaked at 25.0% in 2025Q3.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 3.73T | 3.96T | 5.09T | 4.95T | 5.16T | 5.03T | 5.82T | 3.99T | 4.33T | 3.86T | 4.24T | 3.78T | 3.68T | 3.56T | 4T | 6.31T | 3.68T | 2.93T | 3.3T | 3.65T | 3.44T | 3.34T | 2.43T | 3.49T | 4.27T | 2.42T | 3.04T | 687.06B | 638.66B |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 22.83% | 28.36% | 28.1% | 29.81% | 30.04% | 36.19% | 25.86% | 25.68% | 22.01% | 24.83% | 22.05% | 21.43% | 21.43% | 24.78% | 39.91% | 23.78% | 20.21% | 23.56% | 30.8% | 32.68% | 31.48% | 23.81% | 32.41% | 45.78% | 28.95% | 41% | 15.52% | 18.45% |
| Operating CF Growth % | -106.23% | -22.22% | 2.83% | -4.11% | 2.54% | -13.58% | 46.06% | -8% | 12.36% | -9.13% | 12.31% | 2.74% | 3.34% | -11.03% | -36.58% | 71.23% | 25.56% | -11.03% | -9.78% | 6.29% | 2.96% | 37.36% | -30.37% | -18.2% | 76.01% | -20.15% | 342% | 7.58% | - |
| Net Income | 376.02B | 393.88B | 1.25T | 1.15T | 947.83B | 2.42T | 1.5T | 861.94B | 3.13T | 2.66T | 1.66T | 1.52T | 1.8T | 1.61T | 1.12T | 1.58T | 1.41T | 1.04T | 992.55B | 1.56T | 1.38T | 1.85T | 1.44T | 2.06T | 1.49T | 1.15T | 970.13B | 281.31B | 150.41B |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 2.63T | 3.51T | 3.7T | 3.75T | 3.76T | 4.11T | 4.17T | 3.94T | 3.28T | 3.25T | 3.07T | 2.99T | 2.89T | 2.83T | 2.61T | 2.48T | 2.19T | 2.73T | 2.76T | 2.05T | 1.67T | 1.71T | 1.74T | 1.73T | 1.54T | 1.76T | 1.45T | 706.94B | 927.14B |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 0 | 0 | 6.7B | 18.89B | 84.46B | 91.65B | 4.31B | 2.07B | 789M | 414M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 0 | 0 | 374.67B | 342.24B | 288.32B | 651.95B | 376.5B | 300.71B | 843.98B | 745.65B | 436.04B | 519.48B | 454.51B | 461.92B | 277.22B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 121.75B | -72.9B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81.85B | 315.89B | 25.66B | 27.44B | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 881.73B | 195.12B | -293.11B | -135.89B | -113.83B | -1.79T | -608.92B | -362.25B | -3.02T | -2.59T | 214.45B | 207.13B | 226.93B | 224.38B | 3.29T | 61.4B | 107.8B | 387.97B | 416.05B | -652.07B | 153.19B | -20.09B | 156B | 235B | 440.09B | 21.02M | 74.18B | -440.47B | 134.9B |
| Working Capital Changes | -140.99B | -146.16B | 48.99B | -174.77B | 197.22B | -453.8B | 379.44B | -752.24B | 89.91B | -200.59B | 69.11B | -627.22B | -660.8B | -926.92B | 204.31B | 2.18T | -21.5B | -1.23T | -870.94B | 193.08B | 147.42B | -202.85B | -904B | -532.5B | 715.3B | -996.02B | 513.59B | -33.28B | -573.8B |
| Change in Receivables | -44.96B | -49.62B | 8.79B | 36.57B | -60.55B | -95.37B | -33.41B | -211.71B | 175.84B | 46.14B | 88.55B | 7.55B | -168.84B | -267.75B | -183.24B | 0 | -419.05B | -1.03T | -311.57B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -5.52B | 33.85B | -35.66B | -17.55B | 39.63B | -70.6B | -7.22B | 115.89B | -13.43B | -17.96B | 798M | -7.81B | -171M | -39.61B | -108.9B | 0 | 9.14B | -187.94B | -66.17B | -20.06B | -8.72B | 8.21B | -20B | -3.75B | 39.15B | -33.06B | 29.93B | -10.72B | -11.75B |
| Change in Payables | 89.17B | -20.57B | -10.04B | 50.44B | -101.47B | 12.31B | 3.02B | -23.61B | -58.49B | -26.15B | 75.58B | 12.44B | -37.79B | -4.71B | 74.92B | 0 | 168B | 563.72B | 417B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | -1.75T | -1.76T | -2.71T | -3.35T | -2.81T | -3.49T | -4.25T | -3.58T | -4.05T | -3.07T | -2.46T | -2.88T | -3.68T | -2.51T | -5.31T | -4.24T | -2.15T | -1.83T | -3.88T | -2.4T | -2.42T | -1.92T | -1.42T | -1.48T | -3.06T | -1.97T | -4.66T | -2.12T | -904.35B |
| Capital Expenditures | -2.47T | -2.35T | -2.49T | -2.97T | -3.05T | -3.31T | -3.69T | -3.52T | -3.3T | -2.86T | -3.13T | -2.61T | -3.14T | -3.12T | -3.54T | -3.65T | -1.92T | -2.28T | -3.88T | -2.01T | -2.42T | -1.6T | -1.58T | -1.48T | -3.06T | -1.38T | -4.66T | -2.12T | -837.6B |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 14.37% | 13.59% | 13.86% | 16.89% | 17.6% | 19.75% | 22.92% | 22.81% | 19.53% | 16.33% | 18.29% | 15.21% | 18.29% | 18.81% | 21.93% | 23.07% | 12.4% | 15.73% | 27.69% | 16.95% | 22.99% | 15.07% | 15.43% | 13.77% | 32.85% | 16.51% | 62.88% | 47.91% | 24.2% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | -567.08B | 153.05M | 19.75B | -84.94B | 30.68B | 62.99B | 113.32B | 45.51B | 67.57B | 48.69B | 10.65B | 54.89B | 28.07B | 149.26B | 320.04B | 1.16B | 31.46B | -889.43B | -343.04B | 78.53B | -125.58B | 33.39B | 61B | -38.75B | 20.17B | 209.09B | 167.17B | -150.16B | 82.61B |
| Cash from Financing | -2.79T | -2.73T | -1.81T | -2.02T | -1.35T | -2.05T | -1.46T | -636.83B | -238.31B | -826.62B | -1.04T | -964.58B | -559.4B | -573.16B | 585.27B | -1.08T | -1.6T | -1.21T | 869.41B | -856.59B | -908.42B | -1.41T | -936B | -2.37T | -1.41T | 325.89B | 1.63T | 1.07T | 316.33B |
| Debt Issued (Net) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Equity Issued (Net) | 0 | 0 | -15.79B | -285.49B | 0 | -76.11B | -426.66B | 300B | 0 | 0 | 0 | -490.19B | 0 | 0 | 0 | -208.01B | -252.26B | -28.94B | -21.29B | -73.38B | -199.43B | 0 | -2M | -1.45T | -1.35T | 0 | 1.65T | 1.61T | 14.1B |
| Dividends Paid | -632.29B | -636.88B | -824.12B | -773.81B | -904.02B | -1.03T | -742.14B | -718.7B | -706.09B | -706.09B | -706.09B | -668.49B | -666.8B | -655.95B | -655.13B | -668.29B | -680.04B | -681.55B | -682.5B | -581.64B | -632.22B | -750.16B | -462B | -158.75B | -58.13B | -48.12B | -15.37B | -6.59B | -4.58B |
| Share Repurchases | 0 | 0 | -15.79B | -285.49B | 0 | -76.11B | -426.66B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -490.19B | 0 | 0 | 0 | -208.01B | -252.26B | -28.94B | -63.54B | -118.51B | -199.43B | 0 | -2M | -1.45T | -1.35T | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -1.85T | -1.86T | -486.83B | -257.1B | -383.46B | -137.42B | -394.92B | -318.6B | -312.92B | -160.29B | 251M | -237.76B | -23.08B | 410.39B | 74.11B | -20.01B | 6.45B | 60.7B | 33.5B | -133.25B | -49.16B | 4.4B | 37.51B | -618.77B | 16.61B | -1.14T | -124.08B | -68.75B | -247.47B |
| Net Change in Cash | -952.2B | -490.24B | 568.74B | -427.31B | 1.01T | -496.92B | 98.83B | -235.88B | 48.96B | -47.51B | 736.32B | -65.51B | -564.21B | 478.51B | -730.67B | 991.39B | -63.11B | -57.54B | 125.48B | 400.1B | 102.58B | 7.71B | 51B | -363.75B | -202.85B | 777.12B | 4.95B | -362.2B | 50.76B |
| Free Cash Flow | 1.35T | 1.72T | 2.53T | 1.87T | 2.11T | 1.72T | 2.13T | 469.19B | 1.04T | 994.22B | 1.12T | 1.17T | 538.69B | 436.28B | 459.07B | 2.66T | 1.76T | 650.1B | -578.46B | 1.64T | 1.02T | 1.74T | 855B | 2.01T | 1.21T | 1.04T | -1.62T | -1.43T | -198.94B |
| FCF Margin % | 7.84% | 9.93% | 14.09% | 10.6% | 12.21% | 10.29% | 13.27% | 3.04% | 6.15% | 5.67% | 6.54% | 6.84% | 3.14% | 2.63% | 2.84% | 16.84% | 11.38% | 4.48% | -4.13% | 13.85% | 9.7% | 16.4% | 8.37% | 18.63% | 12.93% | 12.44% | -21.88% | -32.4% | -5.75% |
| FCF Growth % | -50.11% | -31.94% | 35.44% | -11.66% | 22.64% | -19.27% | 354.85% | -54.75% | 4.3% | -11.02% | -4.62% | 117.45% | 23.47% | -4.96% | -82.75% | 51.01% | 171.06% | 212.39% | -135.2% | 61.12% | -41.39% | 103.54% | -57.41% | 66.57% | 15.64% | 164.3% | -12.97% | -621.14% | - |
| FCF per Share | 3578.49 | 4487.85 | 6497.57 | 4768.75 | 5381.85 | 4398.95 | 5362.21 | 1191.07 | 2686.12 | 2559.26 | 2894.87 | 2994.98 | 1389.25 | 1136.17 | 1176.99 | 6985.08 | 4354.44 | 1604.61 | -1439.22 | 4047.97 | 2509.54 | 4252.00 | 2107.07 | 4893.15 | 2616.05 | 2201.76 | -3402.91 | -3426.78 | -550.50 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 3.58x | 9.56x | 4.07x | 4.52x | 5.65x | 2.09x | 3.87x | 4.49x | 1.39x | 1.48x | 2.53x | 2.49x | 2.04x | 2.17x | 3.47x | 3.91x | 2.00x | 2.35x | 2.71x | 2.22x | 2.48x | 1.80x | 1.69x | 1.69x | 2.87x | 2.11x | 3.13x | 2.44x | 4.25x |
| Interest Paid | 90.33B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Regulatory and competitive saturation
According to the provided quarterly data, SKM's operating cash flow consistently dwarfs net income, with the OCF/NI ratio reaching an extreme 15.67x in 2025Q2, suggesting that reported earnings are heavily impacted by non-cash charges rather than reflecting the company's actual ability to generate liquid cash.
The persistent gap between net income and operating cash flow indicates that accounting depreciation and amortization are the primary drivers of the company's reported bottom line. Investors should monitor whether this divergence is a structural feature of high-capex telecommunications or a sign that net income is becoming an increasingly unreliable metric for assessing operational health.
As reported in financial statements, SKM's free cash flow trajectory remains highly erratic, swinging from a negative 826.6 billion KRW in 2025Q3 to a positive 1.1 trillion KRW in 2025Q2, which highlights the company's struggle to maintain consistent cash generation amidst fluctuating capital expenditure requirements.
The lack of a stable FCF trend suggests that management's ability to fund dividends and strategic initiatives is highly sensitive to the timing of network investments. This inconsistency may complicate long-term valuation models that rely on predictable cash flow growth to justify the company's current market position.
Based on reported figures, SKM's capital intensity is significant, with CapEx/Revenue ratios peaking at 25.0% in 2025Q3, indicating that the company remains locked in a high-cost cycle to maintain its network infrastructure and competitive standing against domestic peers in the South Korean market.
The high level of capital expenditure relative to revenue suggests that the company is forced to reinvest a substantial portion of its cash flow just to sustain its existing service quality. This heavy reliance on physical asset maintenance may limit the capital available for the company's stated pivot toward higher-margin AI and software-based services.
Data from recent filings reveals that SKM's working capital dynamics are highly unstable, with a 539.9 billion KRW inflow in 2025Q2 followed by a 458.1 billion KRW outflow in 2025Q3, suggesting that the company's cash conversion cycle is subject to significant, unpredictable fluctuations in operational efficiency.
These sharp shifts in working capital may indicate volatility in the timing of collections or inventory management related to handset subsidies. Such instability warrants further investigation into whether these movements are seasonal or indicative of deeper challenges in managing the cash conversion cycle across the company's diverse business segments.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying SKM stock.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) generated $3.96T in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) generated $1.72T in free cash flow in 2025. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) spent $2.35T on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, SK Telecom Co.,Ltd (SKM) returned $636.88B to shareholders via cash dividends. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.