KT&G Raises 2026 Profit Guidance After Record First-Half Revenue

Consolidated revenue for the second quarter reached KRW 1.7016 trillion, marking a 9.9% increase compared to the previous year, while operating profit climbed 18.5% to KRW 414.5 billion. Reflecting this momentum, the company lifted its full-year revenue growth guidance to a range of 5–7% and operating profit projections to 10–13%.

Tobacco operations served as the primary engine for this growth, with revenues rising 11.7% to KRW 1.2185 trillion. The global cigarette segment proved particularly resilient, recording an 18.9% revenue spike and a 45.6% jump in operating profit, even as regional volatility persisted. Domestically, the company maintained a 67.9% market share, while the Next Generation Products (NGP) segment grew 23.8% to KRW 242.7 billion. This success was buoyed by the February launch of the 'lil AIBLE 3.0' device and a strategic shift toward premium stick offerings.

Health functional food subsidiary KGC saw a 61.3% rise in operating profit to KRW 10.0 billion, despite inventory adjustments in the Chinese market. CFO Sang-hak Lee emphasized that the firm remains committed to its shareholder return policy, which includes consistent dividends and the cancellation of treasury shares. Following the April completion of its treasury share cancellation program, KT&G intends to unveil a new mid-to-long-term shareholder return framework in the fourth quarter.