Hybe's headquarters in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul on July 24 (Newsis)
Hybe's headquarters in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul on July 24 (Newsis)

Shares of K-pop giant Hybe are edging higher as investors position for the long-awaited return of BTS, with the group set to hold its first performance in nearly four years at a comeback concert in central Seoul on Saturday.

Hybe’s stock has traded in a relatively limited range compared to the overall Korean market this year. It closed at 350,000 won ($235) on Monday up slightly from 346,000 won on Jan. 2. As of 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, shares were trading at 364,500 won, up 4.14 percent from the previous session.

The stock has underperformed the Kospi’s roughly 35 percent rally over the same period. Investor sentiment has been weighed down by a legal dispute with former Ador CEO Min Hee-jin and an investigation into Chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s IPO-related dealings.

Despite briefly rising to 405,500 won on Feb. 13, Hybe’s share price has yet to fully reflect expectations tied to BTS’ return.

Analysts say that could soon change.

Major brokerages have raised target prices for Hybe to a range of 440,000 won to 550,000 won, up significantly from the 330,000 won to 370,000 won range of mid-2025.

Kim Yu-hyuk, an analyst at IBK Investment & Securities, said BTS-related events will likely serve as a key catalyst.

“This comeback goes beyond the return of an artist. It could accelerate growth and reshape monetization across the broader K-pop industry,” Kim said.

While Hybe posted record revenue of 2.65 trillion won last year, operating profit fell 73 percent on-year to 49.9 billion won due to upfront investments and restructuring costs.

The outlook for this year is markedly stronger. Kim projects revenue to jump 73.5 percent to 4.56 trillion won, while operating profit is expected to surge more than tenfold to 580.6 billion won.

“The rebound reflects expectations that BTS’ comeback will drive growth across all revenue streams, including albums, concerts, merchandise and content,” he said.


silverstar@heraldcorp.com