SK Telecom (US:SKM)2025-08-06 06:02Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Consolidated revenue decreased by 1.9% year on year to KRW 43.8388 trillion due to net subscriber losses and the suspension of new subscriber sign-ups following a cybersecurity incident [5][6] - Operating income fell by 37.1% year on year to KRW 338.3 billion, while net income dropped by 76.2% year on year to KRW 83.2 billion [5][6] - The financial impact of the cybersecurity incident is expected to be more pronounced in the second half of the year, leading to a revised annual revenue guidance from KRW 17.8 trillion to KRW 17 trillion [19][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Mobile Network Operator (MNO) revenue declined due to subscriber churn, with a loss of 750,000 handset subscribers from March to June, resulting in a KRW 38.7 billion drop in MNO revenue quarter on quarter [18] - The AI business revenue grew by 13.9% year on year, partially offsetting declines in telecom revenue, with AIDC revenue increasing by 13.3% year on year to KRW 108.7 billion [7] - The number of 5G subscribers decreased by approximately 220,000 quarter on quarter to 17,020,000, alongside losses in broadband and IPTV subscribers [6][7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The cybersecurity incident led to a suspension of new subscriber acquisitions for over a month, impacting the overall subscriber base [6] - The company is implementing a customer appreciation package worth KRW 500 billion to minimize customer churn during the incident recovery period [26] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to strengthen its core telecom business while continuing to grow its AI business, with plans to invest KRW 700 billion over the next five years in information protection innovation [4][10] - A hyperscale AI data center is being established in collaboration with AWS, expected to start operations in 2027, with projected annual sales of approximately KRW 1 trillion [9][33] - The company is focused on regaining customer trust through the accountability and commitment program, which includes various customer assurance measures [19][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the significant financial impact of the cybersecurity incident on earnings and emphasized the importance of restoring customer trust as a foundation for future growth [19][20] - The company anticipates a decline in revenue and operating profit in the upcoming quarters due to the implementation of customer appreciation measures [19][24] Other Important Information - The Board of Directors set the second quarter dividend per share at KRW 831, with future dividends to be discussed based on visibility of annual earnings [24][25] - The company is actively participating in government-led sovereign AI projects, aiming to position itself as a key player in the national AI ecosystem [37] Q&A Session Summary Question: Specific response measures to the cybersecurity incident and financial impact - Management detailed the introduction of a customer assurance package and a KRW 700 billion investment plan for information protection innovation, acknowledging the financial impact on MNO revenue and increased costs due to the incident [14][18] Question: Full year dividend guidance and strategies to win back customers - The company confirmed the second quarter dividend and stated that future dividends will be discussed based on earnings visibility, while outlining strategies to regain customer trust through enhanced security measures and customer appreciation packages [24][26] Question: Investment plans for the AI data center and impact on CapEx guidance - Management discussed the investment plans for the Ulsan AI data center, indicating that total CapEx is expected to rise nearly 10% year over year, while maintaining stable trends in combined CapEx [33][34]