[THE INVESTOR] A total of 23 South Korean companies have racked up profits for the past 66 consecutive quarters, according to industry data on Sept. 27.

The companies, which include Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Mobis, SK Telecom and POSCO, have posted net profit from 2000 to the second quarter of the year, according to the data compiled by industry tracker CEO Score.

Of the tallied firms, Naver, Hyundai Glovis and 17 others have not reported losses after they began to unveil quarterly business results, the data showed.

Automakers, steelmakers and chemical firms were among the firms which have reported earnings for the 66 consecutive quarters, with a handful of information and technology firms joining the list, they showed.

Among the surveyed firms, Hyundai Mobis, the country’s top auto parts maker, posted the steepest growth with its operating income standing at 493 billion won (US$443 million) in the second quarter, sharply up from 34.3 billion won in operating income in the first quarter of 2000.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)