SEOUL, Korea, Aug 5 — SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, hereinafter “SKT”) today announced its consolidated earnings for the second quarter of 2026, based on Korean International Financial Reporting Standards (K-IFRS): revenue of KRW 4.3591 trillion, operating income of KRW 566.0 billion, and net income of KRW 466.0 billion.
Compared with the same period last year, revenue increased by 0.5%, driven by growth in the data center business. Through efficient, profitability‑focused management, operating income rose 5.3% quarter over quarter (QoQ). Year over year (YoY), it surged 67.3%, supported in part by a favorable base effect from one‑off expenses in the prior year.
The telecommunications business, which has remained focused on restoring customer trust, showed a clear turnaround driven by efforts to enhance customer value and improve profitability. The AI business also recorded robust growth as execution accelerated under the company's strategy of focus and prioritization.
On a non-consolidated basis, the company reported revenue of KRW 3.1170 trillion, operating income of KRW 427.7 billion, and net income of KRW 310.6 billion. The second-quarter dividend is KRW 830 per share,unchanged from the first quarter.
AI data center business gains momentum, fueling growth through rapid execution
The AI data center (AIDC) business is the fastest-growing segment among SKT’s business areas. In the second quarter, AIDC revenue reached KRW 136.2 billion, up 92.5% year over year, driven by expanded operations.
As generative AI adoption spreads across industries and demand for high-performance computing infrastructure surges, timely delivery of AI infrastructure for customers such as global Big Tech companies has never been more critical.
Last month, SKT established SK Hyper to spearhead AIDC business development, strengthening the company’s execution engine. SK Hyper will proactively secure key resources, including land and power capacity, and attract global customers to accelerate execution and seize market leadership.
Led by SK Hyper, SKT has set an initial goal of bringing AIDCs online in phases starting in 2029, targeting a combined capacity of 5 GW.
The telecommunications business continues to deliver qualitative growth centered on customer lifetime value (CLV). Through efficient marketing activities such as identifying new customer segments and running differentiated campaigns, it achieved net additions in mobile subscribers amid a stable market environment.
Customer Lifetime Value represents the total value a customer generates over the entire period of using a particular service, serving as a critical metric that reflects the depth of the relationship between the company and its customers.
In particular, SKT launched integrated 5G and LTE plans in July to reorganize its overall pricing structure while continuously enhancing customer value by improving customer experience and service accessibility.
“In the first half of the year, we focused on strengthening our fundamentals based on stable telecommunications business profitability while laying the foundation for the rapid expansion of our AI data center business,” said Park Jong-seok, CFO of SK Telecom. “Going forward, we will make every effort to play a leading role in enabling Korea to emerge as an AI infrastructure hub in Asia.”
※The conference call regarding SKT’s Q2 2026 earnings will be available on SKT’s website on Wednesday, August 5, at 16:00 KST.
https://irsvc.teletogether.com/skt/skt2026Q2eng.php
1. Summary of Consolidated Income Statement (Unit: KRW billion)
|
Type |
26.2Q |
25.2Q |
YoY |
26.1Q |
QoQ |
|
4,359.1 |
4,338.8 |
0.5% |
4,392.3 |
△0.8% |
|
|
Operating Income |
566.0 |
338.3 |
67.3% |
537.6 |
5.3% |
|
Net Income |
466.0 |
83.2 |
459.8% |
316.4 |
47.3% |
2. Summary of Non-Consolidated Income Statement (Unit: KRW billion)
|
Type |
26.2Q |
25.2Q |
YoY |
26.1Q |
QoQ |
|
Revenue |
3,117.0 |
3,135.1 |
△0.6% |
3,105.8 |
0.4% |
|
Operating Income |
427.7 |
250.9 |
70.5% |
409.5 |
4.4% |
|
Net Income |
310.6 |
36.9 |
742.2% |
332.7 |
△6.6% |
