Spinoffs drive Hancom Lifecare, Hanwha Aerospace shares up

[Courtesy of Hancom Lifecare Inc.]

Hancom Lifecare Inc. shares surged in early trading on Friday following the announcement of its impending selloff by parent company Hancom Inc.

Shares were trading at 6,740 won ($4.86) per share, up 13.6 percent or 860 won per share, from the previous day‘s closing price. The stock quickly surged by 24.45 percent to hit 7,380 won per share shortly after the opening bell on Friday.

Hancom also saw its shares gain 3.37 percent in early trading before experiencing a slight drop of 250 won to settle at 22,000 won. The decision to divest its subsidiary underscores the company’s commitment to refocusing on its core operations.

Shinhan Securities Co. analysts anticipate that the Hancom LifeCare sale will lead to a significant increase in revenue from the parent company‘s overall business, including cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) software.

[Courtesy of Hanwha Aerospace Co.]

In a separate development on Friday, Hanwha Aerospace Co. also saw an uptick in its stock value amid forecasts that its earnings would improve following a spinoff.

The defense stock was trading at 232,000 won per share as of 10:29 a.m on Friday, up 2.5 percent from the previous session. The stock surpassed 240,000 won per share to hit 245,000 won shortly after the markets opened.

Korea Investment & Securities Co. recently raised its price target for Hanwha Aerospace by 29 percent to 258,000 won from 200,000 won, citing its enhanced focus on core defense business following the split. Analysts anticipate that the company will procure more projects such as the Polish and Romanian export contracts, with demand for weaponry remaining high amid geopolitical uncertainties.

The security firm also revised upward operating profit forecasts for Hanwha Aerospace for 2025 and 2026 by 11.6 percent and 12 percent respectively.