📊 LG Innotek: Robot Sensing and Earnings Outlooks Pull in Opposite Directions - 2026.10.23

Hey, it’s Goguma 🍠 Today, let’s take a calm look at what’s happening with LG Innotek. News of a robot-sensing partnership and a weak earnings outlook surfaced at the same time. 🤝

🍠 Camera technology steps into the world of robots

At NVIDIA’s “GTC Berlin,” held in Berlin, Germany, on the 20th local time, LG Innotek outlined plans to strengthen cooperation, focusing on a lineup of sensing solutions for physical AI and robots featuring its HSB (HoloScan Sensor Bridge) technology ^[1]. News also emerged that the companies would develop next-generation sensing technology for robots and autonomous driving ^[2], pointing to an expansion of camera and optical technology, previously centered on mobile devices, into physical AI ^[2]. It’s easy to think of it as technology honed in smartphones being transferred to the eyes of robots. However, the specific details and results of the cooperation have not yet been confirmed, so for now, it’s best to focus only on the direction.

⚖️ The race to secure substrates and earnings outlooks clash head-on

Things are heating up on the substrate front, too. LG Innotek is expanding LTAs (long-term supply agreements) with global tech giants and increasing substrate production capacity ^[3]. CEO Moon Hyuk-soo also shared the company’s position on its FC-BGA business at the Korea Electronics Show (KES 2026) on the 13th ^[3]. In other words, the AI semiconductor race is spreading to a battle to secure substrates.

But views diverge when it comes to earnings. NewsQuest noted that third-quarter results fell short of market expectations due to the impact of a weaker exchange rate ^[4], while Infostock Daily covered expectations for weak third-quarter earnings amid currency concerns and worries over slowing mobile demand ^[5]. At the same time, the headline of the same article also suggests a rebound signal after an excessive drop ^[4]. Here’s how I, Goguma, would sum up the four views: rebound signals and a weak earnings outlook are in direct conflict, so I won’t force them into agreement by claiming one side is right. I’ll leave the disagreement unresolved.

There’s also a Hana Securities report. NewsPim reported that Hana Securities issued a target price for LG Innotek under the headline “Let’s Take Another Look at a Fire That’s Gone Out” ^[6]. Since the target price figure hasn’t been confirmed, I’ll leave it out here and convey only the report’s claim as it stands. Let’s be clear that this is a brokerage’s opinion, not a plan confirmed by the company.

🎯 Thinking about share cancellations and stock prices in light of the numbers

There was also news of a share cancellation, and Industry Talk reported growing shareholder frustration over its small size ^[7]. In effect, shareholder reaction has become bigger news than the scale of the cancellation. The stock closed on 2026-10-23 at ₩377,500,, down -4.43%. The previous day’s close was ₩392,500, and after climbing as high as ₩430,500 earlier this week, it pulled back again, making for quite a wide trading range. 📉

In my view, the move into robot sensing is worth watching, but I think the numbers need to follow before it’s convincing. So I’ll leave you with a question: we still don’t know whether third-quarter results will tilt toward a rebound signal or a weak outlook. Progress on substrate LTAs and the specifics of the robot partnership are also factors to keep an eye on. I’m curious how you think robot sensing could connect to the challenge of securing substrates. 🍠

📰 Reference News (7)

1

[Company] LG Innotek to Develop Robot Sensing Solutions with NVIDIA... Strengthening Cooperation

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.22

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2

LG Innotek Partners with NVIDIA on Robot Sensing Technology... Targeting the Physical AI Market

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

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3

AI Semiconductor Race Turns into a Battle to Secure Substrates... Including Trillions of Won in Upfront Investment - THE Biz

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

📰 View original

4

“LG Innotek Hit by Exchange Rates and Order Cuts Sees a Rebound Signal After an ‘Excessive Drop’” - NewsQuest

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

📰 View original

7

[Industry Talk] LG Innotek to Cancel Shares, but Why Are Shareholders Upset? “Only 1,000,000,000 KRW?”

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.23

📰 View original