Daily Brief South Korea: KT&G Corporation, Samsung C&T, Shinpoong Pharmaceutical and more

In today’s briefing:

Flashlight Capital Partners Goes Activist on KT&G
Samsung C&T: Soundly Beat Consensus Operating Profit Estimates by 68% in 3Q 2022
Shinpoong Pharmaceutical (019170 KS): Late Entry in COVID Drug Market; Legal Overhang Still Persists

Flashlight Capital Partners Goes Activist on KT&G

On 26 October, a Singaporean private equity firm called Flashlight Capital Partners started to go activist on KT&G demanding that the company spin-off its ginseng business to improve shareholder value.
While a spin-off of the ginseng business is not likely near term, the company could buyback more shares and sell more non-core assets which could soothe Flashlight Capital Partners.
Back in June 2022, we wrote a prescient insight called KT&G Is a Prime Candidate for Corporate Activism in Korea.

Samsung C&T had outstanding results that soundly beat consensus estimates in 3Q 2022.
Samsung C&T generated operating profit of 796.8 billion won in 3Q 2022, up 465% YoY and 67.7% higher than the consensus estimates.
The strong growth of sales and operating profit was led by the biologics, construction, fashion, and resort businesses.

Shinpoong Pharmaceutical (019170 KS) is re-purposing its existing anti-malarial drug Pyramax as an oral treatment for the COVID-19. The company is conducting phase 3 study in six countries, including Korea.
South Korean oral COVID-19 treatment market is currently dominated by Paxlovid. Other domestic companies are also in race to develop homegrown oral COVID-19 drugs, thereby creating a crowded market.
With declining cases and hospitalizations, Pyramax has muted growth prospect as a treatment for COVID-19. Shinpoong is reporting operating loss due to accelerated R&D expenditures.

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