[THE INVESTOR] POSCO will continue to improve as global market conditions recover, said Samsung Securities on Jan. 25, raising the target price to 500,000 won (US$471.12) from 440,000 won.
As steel spread expands, the steelmaker’s return on equity will advance and its corporate value will be reevaluated, forecast analyst Baek Jae-seung.
While China’s continuous restructuring will bolster the spread, the US and China’s heavier investment in infrastructure will stimulate demand, according to the analyst.
In the fourth quarter last year, its revenue rose 3.7 percent on-year to 15.6 trillion won and operating profit by 2.3 percent to 1.15 trillion won, the latter missing market consensus, but considering some one-off costs, its earnings have been solid, said Baek.
By Hwang You-mee (glamazon@heraldcorp.com)