iM Securities sets KRW 19,500 target for LG Uplus stock

Published on 10/20/2026 at 01:15 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Third-quarter revenue is forecast at KRW 3.81 trillion and operating profit at KRW 315.40 billion. For LG Uplus stock, revenue is forecast 3.1 percent above the second quarter.

Analyst view and operating progress

iM Securities set a KRW 19,500 target for LG Uplus on October 19, 2026.
Third-quarter revenue was forecast at KRW 3.81 trillion, with operating profit of KRW 315.40 billion.
LG Uplus stock was last at KRW 15,790 on October 19, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. KST on KRX.

LG Uplus, KR7032640005, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

LG Uplus (ISIN KR7032640005) drew a KRW 19,500 price target from iM Securities on October 19, 2026, alongside a forecast for third-quarter revenue of KRW 3.81 trillion and operating profit of KRW 315.40 billion. The note puts quarterly revenue 3.1 percent above the second quarter, while operating profit is forecast 8.4 percent below the prior quarter and 95.0 percent above the year-earlier period, according to StockHub.

Three recent signals shape the case

The chronology points to a shift from service automation toward network technology and earnings recovery. On October 13, 2026, LG Uplus said its U+one app had begun adding task-focused AI agents, with a roaming recommendation sign-up rate twice the previous AI search rate, as The Korea Times reported. On October 16, 2026, the company presented AI-based Wi-Fi quality management and Wi-Fi 8 edge AI proof-of-concept results at Network X 2026 in Vienna, according to Seoul Economic Daily. The October 19, 2026 iM Securities target is the latest event.

What does the target imply for earnings?

The forecast rests on a recovery in profitability rather than top-line acceleration alone. LG Uplus reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of KRW 3.69 trillion, down 3.9 percent year over year, while operating profit reached KRW 344.50 billion, according to ATS View. The same report lists a 9.3 percent operating margin for that quarter. iM Securities expects the third-quarter margin at 8.3 percent, reflecting the removal of a KRW 24.00 billion second-quarter one-off benefit and a lower comparison base from the prior year.

Funding adds a second checkpoint

LG Uplus also planned a KRW 300.00 billion bond issue for October 21, 2026, after receiving KRW 1.71 trillion of orders on October 13, 2026. The issue was increased from KRW 150.00 billion, with KRW 130.00 billion earmarked for refinancing and KRW 170.00 billion for terminal purchases, according to TopDaily. The financing plan links the earnings recovery to investment capacity in artificial intelligence and data centers.

Dates and market context

The bond issue is scheduled for October 21, 2026, while the U+one store guidance agent is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026, according to The Korea Times. LG Uplus was last at KRW 15,790 on KRX on October 19, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. KST. Its market capitalization was KRW 6.7 trillion, and its 52-week range was KRW 13,810 to KRW 18,800 on that date.

Operating recovery remains central

The investment case therefore combines measurable cost recovery with technology expansion. The key test is whether the projected KRW 315.40 billion third-quarter operating profit can support continued AI infrastructure spending while the core mobile and smart-home businesses stabilize.