[THE INVESTOR] Korea Investment & Securities on July said it expects Naver to show improved performance in the second quarter of this year.

The brokerage said the nation’s top search engine would post a 58 percent increase in operating profit, at 264.1 billion won (US$231.74 million), while sales will climb 26.3 percent to 986.5 billion won.


Korea Investment said the seasonal factors, along with the sale of LINE Corp.’s new ad, Timeline, is expected to help bolster Naver’s earnings.

Line’s second-quarter sales, it said, would rise 3.6 percent to 361.6 billion won, based on a 69.1 percent increase in ad sales.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)