APR has emerged as a dominant force within South Korea's beauty technology sector, surpassing Amorepacific to attain the highest market capitalization among domestic cosmetics firms. This development follows its previous advancement over LG Household & Health Care, reflecting the challenges faced by the longstanding leaders of the "Big Two" in K-beauty, amidst the rapid ascent of this new competitor.
Data from the Korea Exchange on the 6th indicates that APR's stock price surged by ₩27,200, representing a 14.52% increase, reaching ₩214,500 by 9:40 a.m. The shares momentarily hit an unprecedented peak of ₩220,000 following the release of unexpectedly strong second-quarter earnings. At the current price point, APR's market valuation is estimated at approximately ₩8.16 trillion.
Established in 2014, APR is the proprietor of several beauty brands, including Aprilskin and Forment, as well as MediCube—a burgeoning brand specializing in home beauty devices. The company's significant growth in earnings is largely attributed to substantial exports to regions such as the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. In an effort to bolster its international presence, APR has recently appointed IVE’s Jang Won-young as the ambassador for its MediCube Age-R brand, succeeding actress Kim Hee-sun.
APR entered the public market on February 27, 2023, with shares opening at ₩317,500, marking a 27% increase from its initial public offering (IPO) price of ₩250,000. At the time of its IPO, APR's market capitalization was valued at ₩2.41 trillion.
On June 23 of the current year, APR's market value exceeded that of LG Household & Health Care for the first time, positioning it as the second-largest entity in Korea's cosmetics industry. As of the day prior, APR's market capitalization was recorded at ₩7.13 trillion, in contrast to LG H&H's ₩4.59 trillion, reflecting a difference exceeding ₩2.5 trillion. With its latest increase in market value, APR has now outstripped Amorepacific, securing the premier position in the K-beauty market just 17 months post-listing.