YG Set for Profit Surge in 2026 with BLACKPINK, BigBang Returns

• Kiwoom Securities recommends buying YG shares and sets a target price of ₩105,000 for the company, predicting a rebound in 2026.
• BLACKPINK's tour and future releases are viewed as the primary sources of profit development for YG.
• The expansion of Baby Monster, as well as the possibility of a BigBang return, adds to YG’s potential upside.

BLACKPINK's agency, YG Entertainment (KOSDAQ: 122870), is predicted to lead a turnaround this year, prompting Kiwoom Securities to propose purchasing the company's shares. On Jan 20, 2026, the popular Korean financial firm confirmed its expectation that the share price of YG Entertainment might rise to ₩105,000 (~$71.09 USD), citing a rebound due to several of the company's best artists becoming operational at the same time (comebacks, tours, releases).

Analyst Lim Soo-jin forecasts fourth-quarter sales of ₩154.3 billion (~ $104.5 million) and operating profit of ₩23.6B (~ $15.9M) for YG, up 48.3% and 2,274% year on year, respectively. But the analyst also stressed that Baby Monster's less-than-stellar domestic footing and greater marketing expenditures may restrict near-term gains. Nevertheless, for YG’s mid- to long-term growth prospects, Baby Monster could prove beneficial. 

This is because the newly formed group is expanding worldwide in a steady manner, as seen in their viewership records at year-end events like MAMA and Gayo Daejun. Based on these recent public performances, and also noting BLACKPINK popularity, which is YG’s one of the most successful groups, Kiwoom's 2026 sales prediction for the company is set to ₩568.8B (~$385.2M), with ₩85.7B (~ $58.02M) in operating profit, depicting a 7.7% and 17.9% increase, in respective cases.

BLACKPINK's Global Power and 2026 Return May Push YG Profits

BLACKPINK's current Deadline world tour is a crucial factor driving the upside forecast. Analyst Lim's earnings model presently includes 10 concerts, representing approximately 600,000 attendances, whereas the overall tour includes 16 cities and 33 shows globally.

This month, BLACKPINK sold out three consecutive nights at Tokyo Dome, attracting around 165,000 fans, demonstrating continued global demand as the tour nears its last date in Hong Kong. The tour is named after the group's upcoming mini album Deadline, which will be released on Feb 27. The new mini album will be their first full-group release in over three years. Nonetheless, if further BLACKPINK tour dates are announced, YG's profits could exceed projections.

BLACKPINK's pre-release song Jump was also a major engagement driver. The song topped both the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, reaffirming the group's worldwide resonance. Jump additionally spent ten weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 28, marking the group's longest run in such charts.

BigBang’s Comeback Could Also Renew YG Gains

Kiwoom also highlighted the potential benefits of BigBang’s return and large-scale tour, stating that the group's history of a million-plus audience might convert into "hundreds of billions of won" in operating profit if it happened. Notably, the group’s frontman G-Dragon’s solo ventures including releases like Home Sweet Home, and tours like Übermensch, have proved to be massively successful. While other financial firms have taken more conservative approaches in recent prediction reports, Kiwoom's forecast shows optimism that the simultaneous activity of BLACKPINK, Baby Monster, and classic IPs such as BigBang could provide YG with the largest performance leverage in company history, as noted by analyst Lim Soo-jin.