SK Signet, which had been mired in losses for years, is finally leaving SK Inc.'s portfolio. SK Inc. made a surprise decision today (24th) to delist and sell off its subsidiary SK Signet, taking an extraordinary step to initiate a public acquisition of shares at a price 20% higher than market value to protect minority shareholders.
SK Inc. has begun a public acquisition of shares held by minority shareholders of SK Signet, a KONEX-listed company. The acquisition price is 8,200 won per share, which is 20% or more higher than the volume-weighted average price of the past one month. The acquisition period runs for one month from today (24th) through August 24, 2026, with NH Investment & Securities serving as the underwriter. SK Inc. plans to purchase a maximum of approximately 10 million common and preferred shares during this period.
This decision stems from SK Inc.'s goal to complete the delisting of SK Signet and incorporation as a wholly-owned subsidiary by the fourth quarter of 2026, and to finalize the sale by the first quarter of 2027, thereby accelerating proactive portfolio rebalancing. SK Signet, established in 1998 and incorporated into SK in 2021, has engaged in the electric vehicle charging station business, but after recording 3 billion won in operating profit in 2022, it has experienced deepening business difficulties with three consecutive years of operating losses: 149.4 billion won in 2023, 242.8 billion won in 2024, and 48.4 billion won in 2025.
SK Inc.'s public acquisition of minority shareholder shares at a premium of 20% or more above market value despite consecutive massive operating losses is evaluated as unprecedented. This is interpreted as an exemplar of responsible management that aligns with the Financial Services Commission's recent initiative to introduce mandatory public acquisition systems and other capital market advancement policies. An SK official stated, "This is a decision to fulfill the duty of responsible management in terms of enhancing value for minority shareholders."