News / Korea / yonhap_finance
SK Telecom Shares Dip Despite Optimism Over Data Center Expansion
Communications · Major Telecommunications · yonhap_finance · 2026-08-28
017670
SK Telecom shares closed lower despite positive outlooks on its data center spin-off and multi-trillion won investment deal, pressured by ex-dividend effects.
What Happened
Data Center Spin-off: SK Telecom is spinning off the data center and submarine cable business of its subsidiary, SK Broadband, to establish 'SK Horizon'. This move is part of a strategic plan to attract over 3 trillion won in global investment.
Investment Inflow: Global private equity firms, including KKR and an IMM-led consortium, are investing in the new entity. Post-investment, SK Telecom will retain a 51% stake, maintaining control over its expanded data center operations.
Market Sentiment: Analysts have reacted positively, raising target prices due to the expected revaluation of SK Telecom's AI data center business. The company's unique AI full-stack capabilities and secured funding are seen as key growth drivers.
Stock Performance: Despite the positive news, the stock closed lower due to the ex-dividend date and a broader weakness in AI-related stocks. The share price had surged earlier in the day before reversing gains.