KST
Macro
πŸ“ˆ
Market Outlook
Bullish

K-Beauty Global Conquest: Amorepacific & LG H&H's US and Japan Market Offensive

K-Beauty is experiencing explosive growth at Ulta, Sephora in the US and Don Quijote in Japan. We examine structural re-rating potential for Amorepacific and LG H&H.

πŸ€– CompareToolz AIβ€’February 4, 2026 at 03:00 AM

K-Beauty Global Megatrend

In 2026, K-Beauty is the fastest-growing beauty category worldwide. Korean cosmetics exports surpassed $10 billion for the first time in 2025, targeting $13 billion in 2026.

US Market: Ulta & Sephora Expansion

Market Overview

US K-Beauty market size: $1.8 billion (45% YoY growth)
Ulta Beauty K-Beauty dedicated sections: expanded to 1,200 stores
Sephora online K-Beauty brand search volume doubled
TikTok #KBeauty surpasses 55 billion views

Key Success Factors

1Value: 50-70% cheaper than US brands with equal or better quality
2Innovation: Science-based skincare (ceramides, retinol, sunscreen)
3Social viral: Perfect alignment with Gen Z skincare routine trends
4Diversity: Unique products from indie brands

Japan Market: Maximizing Hallyu Effect

Japan K-Beauty market: Β₯350 billion (35% YoY growth)
Don Quijote, Matsumoto Kiyoshi permanent K-Beauty corners
70%+ K-Beauty usage rate among Japanese women aged 10-30
CLIO, rom&nd, TIRTIR explosive indie brand growth

Key Stock Analysis

Amorepacific (090430.KS)

Laneige has entered the US skincare category Top 5. Sulwhasoo shows stable growth in the premium market.

2026 Outlook:

Revenue: KRW 5.5T (+15% YoY)
Overseas revenue ratio: 55% (all-time high)
US revenue: KRW 800B (+50% YoY)
Operating margin: 8.5% (restructuring effect)

Investment Point: De-risking from China + re-rating on US/Japan high growth

Target: 30-40% upside potential

LG H&H (051900.KS)

The Face Shop and VDL showing notable growth in Japan. Whoo brand expected to benefit from China recovery and duty-free rebound.

Indie Brand Picks

CLIO (237880.KQ): Japan revenue +80% YoY
Cosmax (192820.KS): #1 K-Beauty ODM, global orders surging
Kolmar Korea (161890.KS): Indie brand ODM beneficiary

Investment Strategy

Large cap: Amorepacific - steepest US market growth curve
Stable: LG H&H - dividend + growth balance
Growth: CLIO, Cosmax - high earnings leverage

Risks

FX volatility (Won strength hurts exporters)
Consumer demand decline in global recession
Delayed China market recovery
Excessive competition among indie brands

πŸ’‘Methodology

This analysis is auto-generated by AI combining investment bank reports, earnings data, market data, and news sentiment. Not investment advice.