What did the Bank of Korea say about Korean companies’ sales and profitability in the second quarter of 2026?

The central bank said sales surged 26.7 percent on-quarter in April-June 2026, while profitability improved. It said the results were driven mainly by chipmakers and petrochemical firms.

Which sectors led corporate sales growth in Korea in Q2 2026?

Manufacturers recorded 39.6 percent on-quarter sales growth, helped by chipmakers’ strong performance. Non-manufacturing sales rose 9.7 percent, and the maritime transport industry led the gains in the wake of the Middle East war.

How did Korean companies’ financial stability change in the second quarter of 2026?

The operating profit-to-sales ratio rose to 16.9 percent from 5.1 percent a year earlier. The average debt-to-equity ratio also improved, falling to 84.5 percent from 87 percent in the previous quarter.

Corporate sales growth, profitability improve in Q2

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Summary

Korean businesses posted higher sales growth and improved profitability in the second quarter of 2026, led mainly by chipmakers and petrochemical firms, Bank of Korea data showed Wednesday. Corporate sales surged 26.7 percent on-quarter in April-June, up from 13.5 percent in the previous quarter. Manufacturers recorded 39.6 percent sales growth, while non-manufacturing sales rose 9.7 percent. The operating profit-to-sales ratio increased to 16.9 percent, and the debt-to-equity ratio fell to 84.5 percent.

Key Facts

The Bank of Korea reviewed 26,509 companies subject to external audits for the second-quarter data. The findings covered the April-June period of 2026.
Manufacturers posted 39.6 percent on-quarter sales growth, up from 21.1 percent in the previous quarter, driven by chipmakers.
The non-manufacturing sector’s sales expanded 9.7 percent in the second quarter, accelerating from 3.7 percent in the previous quarter, with the maritime transport industry leading gains in the wake of the Middle East war.
The operating profit-to-sales ratio rose to 16.9 percent from 5.1 percent a year earlier.
The average debt-to-equity ratio fell to 84.5 percent in the second quarter from 87 percent in the previous quarter.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 9, 2026 12:36 pm KST

Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap

Korean businesses posted higher sales growth and improved profitability in the second quarter of 2026, led mainly by chipmakers and petrochemical firms, central bank data showed Wednesday.

Corporate sales surged 26.7 percent on-quarter in the April-June period, compared with a 13.5 percent increase in the previous quarter, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).

The findings are based on a review of 26,509 companies subject to external audits.

By sector, manufacturers recorded sales growth of 39.6 percent on-quarter, up from 21.1 percent in the previous three-month period, driven by chipmakers' strong performance.

Sales in the non-manufacturing sector expanded 9.7 percent in the April-June period, accelerating from a 3.7 percent rise in the previous quarter. The maritime transport industry led the gains in the wake of the Middle East war.

The companies' operating profit-to-sales ratio rose to 16.9 percent from 5.1 percent a year earlier.

Their average debt-to-equity ratio fell to 84.5 percent in the second quarter from 87 percent in the previous quarter, the BOK findings showed.

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