Hybe recorded its highest quarterly revenue and operating profit to date in the third quarter of 2026, as BTS’ world tour and activity from other artists helped lift results. Revenue reached KRW1.5257 trillion ($1.13 billion), while operating profit was KRW188.5 billion ($140.2 million). Both figures surpassed the records set in the previous quarter. Operating margin was 12.4%.
For the first nine months of 2026, Hybe generated $2.73 billion in revenue, exceeding its earnings for any previous full year. Adjusted operating profit for the period was $310.8 million, excluding a one-time charge recorded in the first quarter.
Concerts were the largest contributor to the quarter’s performance, bringing in a record $540.5 million. BTS drew about 70,000 fans per show in Europe and the United States. Other Hybe acts on the road included Enhypen, Le Sserafim, &Team, Katseye and Cortis.
Merchandise and licensing also reached a quarterly record, at $248.8 million. BTS merchandise sold on its North American tour accounted for $79.6 million. Hybe attributed the broader performance to products tailored to local markets, diversified production and Weverse Pickup, which allows fans to order online and collect merchandise at venues.
Recorded music revenue totaled $210.3 million, with streaming making up about 30%. Enhypen’s eighth mini album, “The Sin: Bliss,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while Cortis’ second EP, “Greengreen,” surpassed four million cumulative sales in September.
Hybe highlighted Katseye and Japanese boy group &Team as examples of its “multi-home, multi-genre” strategy. Katseye’s third EP, “Wild,” topped the Billboard 200 and sold 150,000 copies in the United States during its opening week—about five times the first-week sales of the group’s previous release. The single “Animal” had spent 12 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. Katseye also sold out all 31 dates of its tour across 27 cities in Europe and North America. An 11-city arena tour of Asia and Oceania is scheduled to begin in January 2027, and the group is set to headline Lollapalooza India.
In Japan, each of &Team’s last four releases has sold one million copies, and the group held its first solo dome concert at Belluna Dome. Its second Korean mini album, “Mark on Me,” debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard 200, a best-ever position for a Japanese boy group. Members also appeared on a remix of “Kawasaki” by Santos Bravos, Hybe’s Latin American group.
Hybe’s Weverse fan platform had 14.2 million monthly active users, close to its record from the previous quarter. The company also tested Fan Lounge, a real-time chat feature that works across languages. BTS’ tour is scheduled to continue into the first half of 2027.
The company established Hybe Global Label Services in October to support marketing and promotion across its international operations. It also plans to expand in India: New Delhi is due to host the first Weverse Con Festival outside Korea in March 2027, alongside a localized artist project for the market.
Sources: Variety.