KakaoSGX:CQC 88 Operating Margin % is 10.89% as of Mar. 2026, which is 33% above its 10-year median of 8.16. GuruFocus rates SGX:CQC with a GF Score™ of 88/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 552 Interactive Media companies, Kakao ranks better than 65.4% on this metric.
Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Kakao's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $141.83 Mil. Kakao's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $1,302.96 Mil. Therefore, Kakao's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 10.89%.
Warning Sign:
Kakao Corp operating margin has been in a 5-year decline. The average rate of decline per year is -7.4%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Kakao's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
SGX:CQC'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.03 Med: 8.16 Max: 11.08
Current: 10.27
SGX:CQC's Operating Margin % is ranked better than 65.4% of 552
companies
in the Interactive Media industry
Industry Median: 3.02
vs SGX:CQC: 10.27
Kakao's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was -7.40% per year.
Kakao's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was $141.83 Mil.
Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $587.30 Mil.
Kakao (SGX:CQC) Operating Margin % Explanation
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Kakao Operating Margin % Related Terms
Kakao Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Kakao's Operating Margin % can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
SGX:CQC vs GOOGL, META, SPOT: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Internet Content & Information subindustry, Kakao's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Kakao Operating Margin % vs Interactive Media Industry
For the Interactive Media industry and Communication Services sector, Kakao's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Kakao's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Kakao's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Kakao (SGX:CQC) has a Operating Margin % of 10.89% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Kakao and its competitors. This is 33% above median its historical median of 8.16. Over the past decade, Kakao's Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.03 to 11.08. According to the industry distribution chart, Kakao ranks #191 out of 552 companies in the Interactive Media industry, placing it in the top 34.6%.
Is Kakao's Operating Margin % too high?
Kakao's current Operating Margin % of 10.89% is 33% above median its 10-year median of 8.16. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.03 to a high of 11.08. The Interactive Media industry median Operating Margin % is 3.02. Kakao's value of 10.89% is 260.6% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Kakao ranks #191 out of 552 companies in the Interactive Media industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Kakao has a GF Score™ of 88/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Kakao's Operating Margin % compare to GOOGL and META?
According to the Interactive Media industry distribution chart, Kakao ranks #191 out of 552 companies for Operating Margin %. This puts Kakao in the upper half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 3.02. Kakao's value of 10.89% is 260.6% above this benchmark. Historically, Kakao's own Operating Margin % has ranged from 3.03 to 11.08 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 8.16 vs. the industry median of 3.02, Kakao has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for an Interactive Media company?
The median Operating Margin % among Interactive Media companies is 3.02, based on 552 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Kakao's current Operating Margin % of 10.89% is 260.6% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Kakao and its competitors. For the Interactive Media industry, the median Operating Margin % is 3.02 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Kakao's current Operating Margin % is 10.89%, which is 33% above median its own 10-year median of 8.16. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Kakao stock overvalued right now?
Kakao (SGX:CQC) has a current Operating Margin % of 10.89%. The current Operating Margin % is 10.89%, which is 33% above median its 10-year median of 8.16 and 260.6% above the Interactive Media industry median of 3.02. Kakao's overall GF Score™ is 88/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Kakao (SGX:CQC), the current Operating Margin % is 10.89% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Kakao Corp is a technology and platform company engaged in digital services, content, mobility, and financial technology businesses. The company operates through seven reportable segments. The Kakao segment provides advertising and platform-based service offerings. The Kakao Games segment covers game development, publishing, and related services. The Kakao Entertainment segment focuses on entertainment planning and content production, and distribution. Kakao Mobility offers database-based information provision services, while Kakao Pay provides mobile platform-based financial services. Kakao Piccoma operates a platform for webtoon and web-novel supply, and the SM Entertainment segment engages in entertainment planning and content production.
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