What Happened? JS Link After-Hours Trading Analysis

After the market closed on September 11, 2025, JS Link experienced a significant after-hours trading event with a volume of 437,987 shares, totaling approximately 7.8 billion KRW. Notably, institutional investors sold off around 5.6 billion KRW worth of shares, while foreign investors bought approximately 580 million KRW. This represents about 1.5% of the company’s market capitalization (520.4 billion KRW), which might not significantly impact short-term stock prices. However, after-hours trading often reflects crucial information, warranting further analysis of its underlying causes.

Why Did It Happen? Fundamental and Financial Analysis

JS Link is pursuing business diversification, shifting from its existing bio and healthcare business to permanent magnets and rare earth magnet recycling. While this diversification strategy appears positive for long-term growth, the company’s financial status, as of the 2024 business report, raises concerns. With retained earnings showing a deficit of 86.2 billion KRW and an operating loss of 9.1 billion KRW, the financial burden of investments in new businesses is a significant risk. This financial difficulty could be linked to the substantial sell-off by institutional investors. Furthermore, the current order backlog of 7.2 billion KRW, while contributing to short-term sales, remains insufficient considering the expected contribution from the new business segments.

What’s the Investment Strategy? Market Context and Recommendations

Recent macroeconomic indicators, such as exchange rates, interest rates, and oil prices, have remained relatively stable. However, the volatility of exchange rates remains a concern, particularly given the new business’s reliance on raw material imports. In the short term, investors should observe the market’s reaction to the sell-off and seek further information regarding the motivations behind it. A long-term strategy requires close monitoring of the new business’s performance, the improvement of profitability in existing segments, and the company’s efforts to strengthen its financial health.

Key Action Plan for Investors

  • Short-term: Verify the reasons behind the after-hours trading and monitor stock price trends.
  • Long-term: Monitor the progress of new business ventures, profitability of existing business, and efforts to improve the financial structure.