Announcement • Jun 04
Home plus Reportedly Puts Its Remaining Operations Up for Sale Home plus Co.,LTD. has put its remaining operations up for sale after agreeing to dispose of its supermarket arm, industry sources said on 02 June 2026, courting domestic and foreign buyers as the debt-laden retailer seeks funding ahead of a court-imposed restructuring deadline. According to the sources, Homeplus's sales adviser, PwC Korea, has sent teaser materials to more than 10 domestic and overseas strategic investors as part of a sale process for the retailer's hypermarket and online businesses. Potential buyers include South Korean retail groups LOTTE Corporation (KOSE:A004990), SHINSEGAE Inc. (KOSE:A004170) and CJ Corporation (KOSE:A001040), as well as Chinese e-commerce companies Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) and Temu. The push follows Homeplus's May agreement to sell its supermarket unit, Homeplus Express, to Harim Group's NS Shopping for $80 million in cash, with the buyer also assuming part of the division's liabilities. The transaction would ease the retailer's liquidity strain, though additional funding would still be needed to stabilize operations, the company noted. "The sale of Homeplus Express is expected to improve liquidity, but because the proceeds will not be received for another two months, we need additional funding both to maintain operations until the cash inflow arrives and to implement the rehabilitation plan," the company said in a statement. An escalating liquidity crisis compounds the challenge, despite MBK Partners' provision of KRW 100 billion in debtor-in-possession financing in March. The company is currently seeking a KRW 100 billion bridge loan from its largest creditor, Meritz Financial Group, to sustain operations until cash from the Express sale arrives. The talks have deadlocked, however, with Meritz demanding a personal guarantee from MBK Chairman Michael Kim, immediate repayment once the proceeds land and a 6% interest rate. Homeplus must win court approval for its rehabilitation plan by July 3 or face the prospect of liquidation. Even if the court extends the deadline to September, industry observers warn that the risk of liquidation would rise sharply if the company cannot keep its remaining locations open, with dozens of stores already idled. Homeplus temporarily suspended operations at 37 low-performing locations from May through July, out of its 104 hypermarkets total. It has delayed wage payments to employees and struggled to keep shelves stocked as supplier payments have fallen behind. Some believe the better path is not a package sale of the remaining hypermarket and online operations, but carving out valuable real estate assets from operating units to lower the cost of acquiring the core retail business. "Finding a buyer for Homeplus's entire store network will be challenging, so selling prime locations separately could be one way to improve the chances of a deal," one industry official said. Valuation Update With 7 Day Price Move • Jun 04
Investor sentiment improves as stock rises 26% After last week's 26% share price gain to ₩656,000, the stock trades at a forward P/E ratio of 17x. Average forward P/E is 11x in the Multiline Retail industry in South Korea. Total returns to shareholders of 262% over the past three years. Simply Wall St's valuation model estimates the intrinsic value at ₩655,193 per share. Upcoming Dividend • May 21
Upcoming dividend of ₩1,300 per share Eligible shareholders must have bought the stock before 28 May 2026. Payment date: 19 June 2026. The company is paying out more than 100% of its profits but is generating plenty of cash to support the dividend. Trailing yield: 0.8%. Lower than top quartile of South Korean dividend payers (3.9%). Lower than average of industry peers (2.2%). 