Korea Investment Securities' credit rating by Japanese rating agency JCR (Japan Credit Rating Agency) was raised one notch to 'A' from 'A-'. A diversified earnings structure spanning brokerage, wealth management, investment banking and trading, along with capital adequacy, were cited as reasons for the upgrade.

Korea Investment Securities said on Oct. 15 that JCR upgraded its long-term foreign-currency issuer credit rating to 'A' from 'A-'. The bond credit rating was also raised to 'A' from 'A-', and the outlook was changed to stable from positive.

JCR, in a credit assessment report released on Oct. 13, cited Korea Investment Securities' solid profitability, diversified business portfolio, capital adequacy and liquidity as key grounds for the upgrade.

It said Korea Investment Securities has a stable earnings structure, posting balanced performance across key businesses including brokerage, asset management (AM), investment banking and trading.

It also said the contribution from wealth management has risen as sales of financial products expanded, while the investment banking and trading businesses have generated stable profits, complementing the earnings structure across business lines.

Earnings growth was also reflected in the assessment. Korea Investment Securities' net operating revenue in 2025 was about 3.1 trillion won, up 39 percent from a year earlier. Net operating revenue in the first half of 2026 was about 2.4 trillion won, up 50 percent from the same period a year earlier.

JCR said it is maintaining profitability based on a high return on equity (ROE) and cost controls.

Financial soundness indicators also exceeded regulatory benchmarks. Korea Investment Securities' net capital ratio (NCR) at the end of 2025 was 2,929 percent, above the 100 percent regulatory standard. The leverage ratio was 644 percent, below the 1,100 percent regulatory ceiling, and the liquidity ratio stood at 122 percent.

The Korea Investment Financial Group's expansion of overseas business was also reflected as an evaluation factor. The group is conducting investment banking in the United States and Hong Kong, and brokerage business in Vietnam and Indonesia. JCR also noted the possibility that expanding global business could lead to diversification of revenue sources by region.

Korea Investment Securities is also broadening its overseas funding base, centered on the Japanese bond market.

It issued 20 billion yen in Samurai bonds in 2023 as the first domestic securities firm to do so, and raised 10 billion yen in 2024. In July, it issued 36 billion yen in yen-denominated bonds. The total amount of bonds issued in the Japanese market is 66 billion yen.

The July issuance, in particular, included a 5-year maturity for the first time as it moved to expand its base of local institutional investors.

A Korea Investment Securities official said, "This credit rating upgrade is the result of recognition of our business competitiveness and financial soundness," adding, "We will continue to strengthen competitiveness in overseas business based on a stable funding base."