[Edaily Reporter Kim Yoon-jung] Samsung Securities forecast that #YG Entertainment’s earnings growth will gain momentum in the second half of the year, driven by the combination of BIGBANG’s comeback and the continued growth of BABYMONSTER and TREASURE. The firm maintained its “Buy” rating and target price of 71,000 won.

On the 18th, Choi Min-ha, an analyst at Samsung Securities, stated, “After a period of consolidation in the first half, the resumption and expansion of activities across the entire artist lineup are expected to gain momentum in the second half,” adding, “We anticipate both stable growth from existing intellectual property (IP) and the expansion of new lineups.”
YG Entertainment is planning both Big Bang’s comeback and the debut of a new boy group in the second half of the year. With TREASURE and BABYMONSTER continuing their upward trajectory, the company expects the benefits of strengthening its artist portfolio—which it has been preparing for some time—to become fully visible.
Particular attention was drawn to Big Bang’s return to the music scene. Analyst Choi explained, “Big Bang, marking their 20th anniversary since debut, has announced plans for a world tour,” adding, “As of now, a schedule of 31 performances across 18 cities has been revealed, and additional venues are expected to be announced sequentially.”
The tour is scheduled to take place from August 2026 to February 2027, primarily at stadium- and dome-level venues.
Researcher Choi analyzed, “They demonstrated their enduring global influence and artistic competitiveness through their performance at Coachella in April,” adding, “With their first full-group world tour in about nine years, we expect not only increased concert revenue but also a boost in indirect revenue from merchandise and other goods.”
He added, “Since they’ve also announced plans to release a new album, it’s highly likely that the new album will be released around the time of the tour, which should contribute to growth in album and digital music sales.”
He also gave a positive assessment of the growth trends among next-generation artists. Researcher Choi said, “Based on their expanded global fanbase, Baby Monster is set to embark on their second world tour—larger in scale than their previous one—starting in late June,” adding, “We expect to see growth in concert and merchandise (MD) sales.”
Regarding TREASURE, he assessed, “While continuing to hold fan concerts following the release of their new album, they are expected to expand their scope of activities and broaden their fan base through unit and solo activities in the second half of the year.”
He explained, “The effects of strengthening our artist portfolio—which we’ve been preparing for some time—will become fully visible, and we will enter a phase of expanded performance,” adding, “We expect to see both stable growth in existing IP and the expansion of new lineups simultaneously.”