WiseAI Tech Seeks Biggest Dividend Since Listing, Boosting Shareholder Returns
IT DAILY ·
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WiseAI Tech said it will significantly expand cash dividends to strengthen shareholder returns.
The company is pursuing a plan to sharply raise this year’s year-end dividend to the largest scale since its listing.
Consolidated sales for the first half of 2026 rose 29.4% year over year to KRW 17.78 billion, and order backlog stood at KRW 26.54 billion.
WiseAI Tech announced on the 25th that it will significantly expand cash dividends to strengthen shareholder returns. The company achieved record-high sales last year and continued double-digit sales growth in the first half of this year as well.
The company plans to share these business results with shareholders. To that end, it is pursuing a plan to sharply raise this year’s year-end dividend to the largest scale since its listing.
If the dividend expansion plan under review is finalized, the expected dividend yield based on the recent share price will be in the 9% range. This is more than three times the average market dividend yield of about 2.6% for cash-dividend companies on the KOSDAQ last year, putting it among the top tier of dividend-paying companies on the market.
The specific dividend size will be finalized later through the year-end closing and board of directors procedures, among other related steps.
WiseAI Tech has maintained a relatively high payout ratio from the start and has continued to pay a KRW 150 cash dividend per share every year since listing on the KOSDAQ. Based on its '2026 Corporate Value-Up Plan' disclosed in March, the payout ratio for fiscal 2025 is 61.17%.
The 61.17% payout ratio for fiscal 2025 qualifies the company as a high-dividend company under Article 104-27 of the Restriction of Special Taxation Act. The company cited continued top-line growth this year and an expected improvement in results in the second half as reasons for pursuing a larger dividend.
In fact, WiseAI Tech’s consolidated sales for the first half of 2026 rose 29.4% year over year to KRW 17.78 billion. Sales growth continued in the second quarter following the first quarter, and sales for the second quarter of 2026 increased 29.3% year over year to KRW 9.86 billion. Gross profit for the first half of 2026 rose 40.9% year over year to KRW 4.37 billion.
Profitability indicators also improved. The consolidated operating loss for the first half of 2026 narrowed to KRW 460 million from KRW 600 million a year earlier, while the net loss for the first half of 2026 fell sharply to KRW 10 million from KRW 520 million a year earlier.
WiseAI Tech said one-time cost factors related to government R&D projects were reflected in first-half earnings. After the project agreement, delays in subsidy payments led the company to front-load some ordinary development expenses with its own funds, and it also made preemptive investments in new product development and technological upgrades. As a result, SG&A expenses increased in the first half.
WiseAI Tech said that once government subsidies are paid after the third quarter, a significant portion of the upfront expenses is expected to be offset in the second half. Accordingly, the company said the burden of first-half losses is expected to ease and the pace of sales growth and profitability improvement is likely to accelerate. It said the business foundation for the second half is stable.
As of the end of June, WiseAI Tech had secured an order backlog of KRW 26.54 billion and is carrying out major projects centered on the finance and public sectors. The company expects execution of the secured projects to accelerate and also anticipates increased revenue recognition based on progress rates. On this basis, it expects to set a new record for annual sales this year.
WiseAI Tech is continuing to invest in expanding new businesses and improving profitability. The company plans to launch its AI-based trade document automation service 'iDocu' this year and is promoting market expansion for 'iDocu' by conducting PoC projects mainly with large and mid-sized companies. It is also preparing for the official launch of its YouTube trend analysis platform 'Tumeet.'
The company is pursuing a strategy of adding subscription-based services to its existing project-centered business structure. The purpose of adding subscription-based services is to secure recurring sales and profits. By proceeding with both the launch of new services and launch preparations, it aims to add a subscription model to its project-based structure and enhance the sustainability of sales and profits.
Kim Da-san, CEO of WiseAI Tech, said sharing the results of sustained growth with shareholders is an important responsibility of management. He added that, to enhance shareholder value this year, the company plans to significantly expand the dividend amount and strengthen its shareholder return policy, and that the expected dividend yield is at the top 2% to 3% level among dividend-paying companies on the KOSDAQ. He also said the company will push to expand markets for new products and services, pursue stable growth in existing businesses, improve productivity through management innovation, and pursue both top-line growth and profitability improvement, adding that it will continue responsible management so that sustained growth and shareholder returns lead to higher corporate value.
On the 4th, WiseAI Tech signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Quan Entertainment and agreed to cooperate on the official launch of its YouTube data-based platform 'Tumeet,' while also working together to help 'Tumeet' establish itself in the market.
Source: IT DAILY · Kwon Young-seok
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=241184
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Source: IT DAILY
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