Third-quarter 2026 earnings results

Growth sustained by CX project gains and cost cuts

Cumulative Q3 operating profit up 13.6% to 133.6 billion won

AI services and content IP to drive new business in Q4

Innocean reported third-quarter gross profit of 255.9 billion won, up 3.0% from a year earlier. [Provided by Innocean]
Innocean reported third-quarter gross profit of 255.9 billion won, up 3.0% from a year earlier. [Provided by Innocean]

Innocean said Thursday its domestic operating profit rose 36.6% year-on-year to 12.2 billion won ($9.1 million) in the third quarter, driven by business portfolio diversification and cuts in selling, general and administrative expenses.

On a consolidated basis, the advertising firm posted third-quarter gross profit of 255.9 billion won, up 3.0% from the same period a year earlier. Operating profit and net profit for the period fell 4.2% and 2.8%, respectively, to 49.2 billion won and 32.6 billion won.

Domestically, the company sustained its growth momentum through strong performance in its customer experience (CX) business and a profitability-focused management approach. Domestic gross profit climbed 3.9% to 57.3 billion won, while SG&A expenses declined 2.3%, pushing domestic operating profit up 36.6% to 12.2 billion won.

Overseas gross profit rose 2.8% year-on-year to 198.6 billion won. Europe was a particular bright spot, with gross profit there growing 13.8% on the back of expanded digital services including customer relationship management, data and web services.

In the Americas, subsidiary Canvas secured Five Guys as a new advertiser and ramped up media buying for the California State Lottery, lifting gross profit 2.3% from a year earlier.

Cumulative operating profit through the third quarter reached 133.6 billion won, a 13.6% increase that marked double-digit growth. Cumulative net profit for the period also rose 46.4% to 108.7 billion won.

Innocean said it plans to sustain growth in the fourth quarter by building on its CX and digital services businesses. The company intends to deepen its solutions and services by integrating AI across the entire marketing process — from creative planning and production to media buying and data analysis.

Alongside this, the company aims to further strengthen its foundation for sustainable growth by expanding its non-affiliate advertiser base at home and abroad and developing content intellectual property businesses.


joze@heraldcorp.com