Bank-affiliated securities firms in South Korea reported record-breaking profits for the first half, driven by a stock market boom that significantly increased trading volumes. NH Investment & Securities led with net profit of 965.2 billion won, up 107.6% year-over-year, while KB Securities posted 796.3 billion won (135% increase), Shinhan Investment recorded 577.7 billion won (123.1% increase), Hana Securities achieved 273.1 billion won (155.7% increase), and Woori Investment reported 24.7 billion won (47.1% increase). The surge resulted from sharp increases in brokerage commission income as both domestic and overseas stock trading expanded, alongside growth in wealth management (WM), investment banking (IB), and financial product sales across all business segments. Large firms with stronger customer bases and WM-IB capabilities captured greater benefits from the market upturn, widening the performance gap within the industry.
NH Investment & Securities Records 965.2 Billion Won First-Half Profit
NH Investment & Securities achieved net profit of 965.2 billion won on a controlling shareholder basis for the first half, marking a record for the half-year period. Brokerage commission income reached 795 billion won cumulatively for the first half, surging 211.7% year-over-year. Both domestic and overseas stock commission revenues increased substantially as trading volumes expanded significantly. Financial product sales commissions more than doubled compared to the previous year. The IB division maintained top rankings in league tables by leveraging competitiveness in initial public offerings (IPO) and debt capital markets (DCM). Customer assets expanded to 612 trillion won.
KB Securities Achieves 796.3 Billion Won in Record Half-Year Earnings
KB Securities set a new record for half-year performance with net profit of 796.3 billion won for the first half. The WM division led performance gains as commission income expanded due to increased trading volumes from the strong stock market. Individual customer assets (AUM) surpassed 200 trillion won for the first time. The IB division generated stable revenues centered on large lead underwriting, acquisition financing, and project financing (PF). The capital markets and wholesale divisions also recorded the largest half-year earnings in their history.
Shinhan Investment Posts 577.7 Billion Won Net Profit
Shinhan Investment recorded net profit of 577.7 billion won for the first half, up 123.1% year-over-year. Consignment trading commissions from increased stock transactions and expanded financial product sales drove performance improvement. In the second quarter, product operation income decreased partially due to conservative management in response to rising market interest rates, but overall effects from increased stock consignment and financial product commissions offset this reduction.
Hana Securities and Woori Investment Report Strong Growth
Hana Securities delivered strong results based on balanced growth across all business divisions, with net profit of 273.1 billion won for the first half, up 155.7%. In the WM division, brokerage commissions from increased trading volumes and expanded financial product sales drove performance, while the IB division generated stable revenues centered on acquisition financing and real estate finance. The sales and trading (S&T) division also improved profitability through strategic asset allocation and risk management.
Woori Investment continued external growth with net profit of 24.7 billion won for the first half, up 47.1%. Operating profit reached 29.4 billion won, increasing 93.3%. Non-interest income surged 110% year-over-year as the effect of IB business expansion materialized following capital increase, and IB and other commission income jumped 206%. The proportion of non-interest income rose from 43% in the first half of last year to 58% this year, advancing revenue structure diversification.
FAQ
What drove the record profits at South Korean bank securities firms in the first half?
The record profits resulted from a stock market boom that significantly increased trading volumes, leading to sharp rises in brokerage commission income. Growth occurred across all business segments including wealth management (WM), investment banking (IB), and financial product sales.
Which bank securities firm achieved the highest first-half profit?
NH Investment & Securities led with net profit of 965.2 billion won for the first half, representing a 107.6% increase year-over-year and marking a record for the half-year period.
How much did brokerage commission income increase at NH Investment & Securities?
NH Investment & Securities reported brokerage commission income of 795 billion won cumulatively for the first half, surging 211.7% compared to the same period in the previous year.
