Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options put/call open interest 0.47, read 2026-11-02
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price31.23 USD
Fair value40.00
Ethical score70.0/100
Value readUndervaluedas of 6 Nov 2026
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-02Read Distribution35.90-13.0% to today ✓Markup gives way to Distribution first Distribution read since August
2026-09-13Read Markup37.07-15.8% to today Distribution gives way to Markup after a 21% rise in 4 weeks
2026-08-13Read Distribution30.73+1.6% to today Markup gives way to Distribution after a 20% slide in 6 weeks
2026-07-02Read Markup38.32-18.5% to today First review on file: Markup
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
SK Telecom Co Ltd ADR holds its Distribution at $31.23. The statistical read favours the sellers, held for 47 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-11-06
Phase
Distribution · caution
Quantitative state
The statistical read favours the sellers, held for 47 days
Price at the screen
$31.23
Valuation
23.84 trailing · 11.60 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 70.0
Beta
0.66
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Debt ratio
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
34.45%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is 34.5% of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.
Fail
Interest-bearing cash
10.05%
Below 33%
Cash held in interest-bearing accounts and securities is 10.1% of assets, under the one-third limit.
Pass
Receivables
11.32%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 11.3% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Revenue purity
0.43%
Below 5%
Only 0.4% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, under the 5% line.
Pass
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
SK Telecom's business is in a permissible area, but its interest-bearing debt is about 34% of the company, just over the ~33% line, so it does not pass on the financial screens.
Read as at 2026-11-05. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
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Today SKM does not pass the screen. If new figures move it to a pass, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
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What the Numbers Say It Is Worth
The Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads Undervalued vs our fair value, as of 6 Nov 2026: it trades at roughly a 22% discount to our $40.00 fair value, narrow competitive moat, 13.10% revenue growth.
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-11-06 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 21.9% discount to the base estimate.
Where our models see it going: fair-value estimate $40.00, with a range of $40.00 to $62.46, dated to the 2026-11-06 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
South Korean Calls Reveal a Stagnant Operator
Millions in Seoul rely on their phones each day for calls, messages and data, yet the main provider behind those connections shows almost no forward momentum. SK Telecom trades at a 27% discount to our fair value with a forward P/E of 13.2x, but revenue is already shrinking 1% and the business generates just a 2% profit margin alongside 3% return on equity.
We pass because the narrow moat and weak numbers outweigh any apparent value. Three analysts see little upside, with a median target only slightly above the current price, and the ethical screen offers no extra support for ownership.
The real risk is a classic low-growth trap where a cheap multiple simply reflects permanently depressed returns rather than a bargain. Currency moves and local competition can erode results further without any clear catalyst for improvement. Analysis, not advice.
Another profit measure, before interest, tax and non-cash costs: EBITDA.
The risks · The things to watch: its business and earnings are exposed to South Korea and to currency swings.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
SKM trades on the NYSE (the company is based in South Korea). As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-11-04Distribution$30.52+0.1%Entry 10
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 0.1% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
2026-10-28Distribution$30.50-10.0%Entry 9
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 10.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 4% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading oversold. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35. Since the last review it its composite score rose.
2026-10-21Distribution$33.89-1.0%Entry 8
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 1.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 8% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
2026-10-14Distribution$34.24-4.6%Entry 7
The analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 4.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 54% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
The framework has shifted from markup to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 3.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 54% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
2026-09-13Markup · changed$37.07+20.6%Entry 5
The framework has shifted from distribution to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 20.6% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 54% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
The framework has shifted from markup to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 19.8% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 54% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
2026-07-18Markup$38.32+0.0%Entry 3
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is holding around 54% above its long-term trend line with momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are up 76%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 30%. The street (3 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $35.
2026-07-03Markup$38.32+0.0%Entry 2
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Markup$38.32Entry 1
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: PASS with passing ethical screen (70). The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
