KIS Night: From Product Distribution to Joint Ventures
Korea Investment & Securities is expanding its role beyond introducing products from overseas asset managers to the Korean market, pursuing collaborations that create businesses jointly with global financial firms. According to Maeil Business Newspaper’s securities report, the company held KIS Night, a global investor relations event, in Manhattan, New York, on September 10, 2026. Around 150 senior representatives from Wall Street institutional investors, including Carlyle, BlackRock, and PIMCO, attended.
The key point in assessing the presentation is not the number of attendees but the scope of collaboration. Partnerships with Fidelity, PIMCO, and Carlyle span research, wealth management, and alternative investments. President Kim Sung-hwan outlined plans to connect partners’ investment opportunities and expertise with investment banking, investment products, and wealth management services.
$200 Billion Retail-Client AUM Target by 2030
The company aims to increase assets under management (AUM) for retail clients to $200 billion by 2030 and raise the share invested in global assets to 30%. These figures represent the intended direction and scale of future business, not earnings already achieved.
This strategy depends on both growth in client assets and the mix of products and services offered. Even if assets increase, the revenue generated through specific services is a separate matter. When reviewing future earnings reports, investors should distinguish between client asset levels and the related revenue to avoid confusing the scale of business expansion with profitability.
Bond Management to Respond to Interest-Rate Changes
Kim said the company manages more than 40 trillion won in bonds and highlighted the risk of price declines when interest rates rise. He cited hedging, duration adjustments, and portfolio management encompassing credit bonds as well as government bonds as ways to address that risk.
On alternative investments, he also said the company plans to reduce its investment positions from previous levels, noting recent volatility in asset prices and valuations. In effect, the company is pursuing overseas expansion while adjusting its risk exposure.
Duration measures how sensitive a bond’s price is to changes in interest rates. Adjusting duration is a risk-management tool distinct from changing the amount of bonds held. Although bond prices generally decline when interest rates rise, actual gains or losses vary depending on the asset mix and hedging position. The amount under management alone cannot be used to estimate losses.
Monthly-Dividend Products Versus Data-Center Financing
The company is considering expanding its range of monthly-dividend products to reflect preferences among Korean clients. In the data-center sector, it said it had received joint-financing proposals from overseas investors. The former concerns the product lineup for retail clients, while the latter represents a business opportunity to arrange funding for infrastructure investment.
Whether the products are launched should be confirmed through subsequent product announcements, while the progress of financing arrangements should be assessed through transaction-related disclosures. The existence of a review or proposal should not be interpreted as product sales or a finalized contract.
Figures Readers Should Distinguish
Is the AUM Target the Same as the Company’s Revenue Target?
No. AUM represents the value of client assets; it does not mean the company recognizes the full amount as revenue. To assess the company’s profitability, investors must separately examine revenue actually recognized, including fees, as well as expenses.
This article was prepared from the original report and edited after comparison with the source text. View original article (Maeil Business Newspaper Securities)
