Seoul: Lotte Shopping Co., an affiliate of South Korean retail conglomerate Lotte Group, announced that it returned to a net profit in the fourth quarter, attributed to strong overseas operations and increased department store sales.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the company reported a net profit of 114.5 billion won (US$78.3 million) for the quarter ending in December, reversing a net loss of 1.01 trillion won from the same period in 2024. The turnaround was bolstered by increased sales at department stores and hypermarkets in Vietnam and Indonesia, where Lotte Shopping operates multiple outlets.
Lotte Shopping's presence in Vietnam includes three department stores and 15 hypermarkets, while in Indonesia, it operates one department store and 48 hypermarkets. Notably, Lotte Mall West Lake Hanoi, a large mixed-use complex that opened in September 2023, achieved a record quarterly profit in the fourth quarter.
The company's operating profit rose 54.7 percent year-on-year to 227.7 billion won in the December quarter, with sales increasing by 1.3 percent to 3.52 trillion won. For the entire year of 2025, Lotte Shopping recorded a net profit of 73.56 billion won, a significant improvement from a net loss of 994.07 billion won the previous year. The full-year operating profit also increased by 15.6 percent to 547.04 billion won, despite a 1.8 percent decline in sales to 13.74 trillion won.
Looking ahead to 2026, Lotte Shopping aims to achieve an operating profit of 650 billion won on sales of 14.3 trillion won. The company plans to continue restructuring its business portfolio to enhance long-term profitability, while focusing on strengthening its core department store and retail operations.