Samsung Biologics (207940.KS) extended gains of more than 11% on the 24th, even as the KOSPI plunged 5%, triggering a sidecar that temporarily halted program sell orders. It was the only stock among the top companies by market capitalization to rise, as investment demand poured in following strong earnings disclosed the previous day. Samsung Biologics posted operating profit of 1.1672 trillion won in the first half of this year, about 28% higher than the same period last year.
According to the Korea Exchange (KRX), as of 1:29 p.m. on the 24th, the stock was trading at 1.534 million won, up 11.24% from the previous session. While the KOSPI fell about 5% and most top companies by market capitalization declined, including Samsung Electronics (-7.41%), SK hynix (-7.19%), and SK Square (-8.19%), the stock surged. The exchange triggered a sell sidecar in the KOSPI market at 11:23 a.m. that day. A KOSPI sell sidecar is triggered when KOSPI200 futures (nearest month) fall 5% from the previous session and the decline persists for one minute.
Strong earnings are cited as the cause of Samsung Biologics' soaring share price. The company disclosed the previous day that it recorded 2.578 trillion won in revenue and 1.1672 trillion won in operating profit in the first half of this year. Compared with the first half of last year, revenue rose 28.0% and operating profit increased 28.6%. For the first time ever, half-year operating profit surpassed 1 trillion won on the pure contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) business alone. The influx of investor orders is attributed to the brightening outlook for its core CDMO business.
Earnings improvement is expected to continue in the second half. Revenue from the Rockville, U.S. production facility, which the company acquired from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in December last year, will be reflected starting in the third quarter. Plant 5, which began operations in April last year, is also reportedly becoming more efficient as it undergoes the utilization ramp-up process that typically takes two years.
