Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Cosmecca Korea has partnered with Kyung Hee University and Labio to research next-generation anti-aging cosmetic ingredients based on circadian rhythms. This collaboration aims to innovate skincare by aligning with the body’s natural biological clock.
Cosmecca Korea announced on July 22 that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a research team led by Professor Hwang Jae-sung of Kyung Hee University and Labio, a specialized cosmetic ingredient development company, for joint research on “development of next-generation anti-aging cosmetic ingredients based on circadian rhythms.”
Through this agreement, Cosmecca Korea, Professor Hwang’s research team, and Labio will form a consortium to jointly carry out the entire cycle from efficacy research to ingredient development and product commercialization.
This joint research is the second collaborative project following last year’s development of senolytic-based anti-aging ingredients. The core of the research is to develop neurocosmetic ingredients that go beyond simple wrinkle improvement, aiming to correct circadian rhythms disrupted by sleep deprivation and chronic stress, and restore the skin’s inherent energy.
Neurocosmetics represent a next-generation beauty technology that manages the impact of external environments and psychological stress on the skin. The research particularly focuses on how modern irregular lifestyles and chronic stress disrupt skin circadian rhythm genes.
The research team plans to focus on discovering ingredients that help normalize the expression of circadian rhythm genes, activate reduced mitochondrial function, and strengthen compromised skin barrier function, thereby contributing to overall cell function recovery and skin homeostasis maintenance. Promising candidate substances will then be selected for safety evaluation and formulation research, leading to cosmetic commercialization.
Key research objectives include: ▲Discovery of materials for circadian rhythm regulation and skin function recovery ▲Development of formulation technologies for improved skin delivery ▲Filing of core technology patents and publication of papers ▲Development of high-functional prototypes tailored for the global market.
On July 8, Samsung Securities raised its target price for Cosmecca Korea from KRW 90,000 to KRW 110,000, maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating, anticipating profit expansion as the company secures competitiveness in winning orders from new brands.
Samsung Securities estimates Cosmecca Korea’s Q2 revenue and operating profit at KRW 204.1 billion (+26.2% YoY) and KRW 26.3 billion (+14.2% YoY), respectively, in line with market expectations.
The Korean entity is projected to record revenue of KRW 153.6 billion as new clients enter their revenue growth phase. Englewood Lab is expected to maintain a solid performance driven by its major clients with high dependency, generating approximately KRW 57.5 billion in revenue. Despite production delays for multinational corporations (MNCs) due to raw material supply issues, the Chinese entity’s revenue is estimated at KRW 7.9 billion, a 23.3% improvement quarter-over-quarter, supported by makeup products like cushions.
He added, “For the Korean entity, revenue and profit margins are expected to improve together as new client volumes expand toward the second half. While the Eumseong plant is effectively at full capacity due to large client line occupancy, the preemptively acquired Ochang plant will start operations next year, securing capacity to accommodate new clients.”
Furthermore, “Although FDA approval for Bemotrizinol (BEMT) is not a short-term differentiator since US brands can also access the same ingredient, the structural advantage of Englewood Lab being the exclusive producer of OTC sunscreen suggests mid-to-long-term benefits remain valid. With a high proportion of new brand clients, the company holds strong appeal in terms of potential upward estimate revisions among listed ODM companies in the second half.”
According to the Financial Supervisory Service’s electronic disclosure on July 2, the National Pension Service increased its holdings of Cosmecca Korea shares by 37,005 shares. In the previous report announced on March 31, 2026, the share count was 1,337,645 shares, representing a 12.52% stake. Accordingly, the National Pension Service now holds 1,374,650 shares, a 12.87% stake, a change of 0.35 percentage points.
On June 30, Cosmecca Korea announced that it had signed a strategic MOU with Anoetic Cosmetics at its Pangyo Central Research Institute to foster indie beauty brands with high growth potential. The plan is to discover promising brands and provide step-by-step customized support from product development to production and global expansion, aiming to expand the K-beauty growth ecosystem.
Anoetic Cosmetics, the first collaboration partner, operates ‘Anoetic Beauty’ based on a vegan wellness philosophy. The brand, which pursues a balance between inner health and outer beauty, has rapidly gained recognition among the MZ generation through its sensuous branding and consumer-oriented product planning. Since its launch in 2025, it has ranked first in the Musinsa Beauty category and first overall in Musinsa brand rankings, and recently opened a store at the Musinsa Megastore in Seongsu.
In the second half of this year, the brand plans to expand domestic and international consumer touchpoints, starting with a matcha wellness beauty pop-up in Seongsu-dong, participation in the ASD consumer goods exhibition in Las Vegas, and a Q10 pop-up in Tokyo, Japan. Cosmecca Korea will actively support product competitiveness and global market entry through this collaboration.
Cosmecca Korea plans to continue expanding cooperation with high-growth potential indie brands based on its R&D and production capabilities, supporting innovation and shared growth in the K-beauty industry.
On a consolidated basis for Q1 this year, revenue was KRW 185.143 billion, up 56.42% YoY. Operating profit was KRW 21.880 billion, up 78.03% YoY. Net profit was KRW 19.620 billion, up 112.80% YoY.
Last year, consolidated revenue was KRW 640.929 billion, up 22.24% YoY. Operating profit was KRW 83.537 billion, up 38.39% YoY. Net profit was KRW 57.838 billion, up 7.73% YoY.
Cosmecca Korea is a specialized cosmetic R&D and manufacturing company. As a cosmetic OEM/ODM specialist, it produces basic skincare and color cosmetics as main products. It also provides its own global total service OGM (Original Global Standard and Good Manufacturing), considering trends, distribution structures, and legal regulations of target countries. It has established its own automated production system (CPS, Cosmecca Production System) to reduce defect rates and improve production efficiency. It developed Korea’s first triple-functional BB cream. It holds Englewood Lab, a KOSDAQ-listed company, as a subsidiary. The largest shareholder is Park Eun-hee and others (38.95%), and a major shareholder is the National Pension Service (12.52%).
In 2024, consolidated revenue was KRW 524.329 billion, up 11.39% YoY. Operating profit was KRW 60.362 billion, up 22.80% YoY. Net profit was KRW 53.688 billion, up 58.43% YoY.
After hitting a bottom of KRW 5,650 on March 23, 2020, the stock reached an all-time high of KRW 106,400 on February 13 this year, then hit a low of KRW 60,400 on April 29. Subsequently, it peaked at KRW 94,900 on July 13 and pulled back, but hit a low of KRW 73,500 on the 21st, forming higher lows and higher highs. From now on, each pullback is seen as an opportunity to accumulate shares.
The stop-loss level is seen at KRW 78,550, and investors should aim for the lowest possible entry point. Around KRW 81,800 seems reasonable, and dollar-cost averaging could be considered. The first target price is around KRW 90,000, where partial profit-taking could be considered, followed by re-entry at support levels on pullbacks. The second target is KRW 99,000 or higher.
Thank you.