Revenue fell 5.2% year over year but rose 21.6% sequentially, with AI data center and ESS demand supporting copper foil sales as the company accelerates its Malaysia plant ramp-up.
Lotte Energy Materials narrowed its second-quarter operating loss to ₩16.9 billion from ₩31.1 billion a year earlier, while consolidated revenue reached ₩194.2 billion, down 5.2% year over year but up 21.6% from the previous quarter. The company attributed the improvement to stronger demand for battery backup units for AI data centers, high-output small batteries for power tools, North American energy storage systems, and non-Chinese circuit foil. Lotte Chemical's later group earnings release also said Lotte Energy Materials moved back to an operating loss in the quarter despite higher sales volumes, citing the disappearance of one-off benefits including a favorable lagging effect from the previous quarter. Lotte Energy Materials is shifting production toward higher-value foil products and bringing Malaysia Plants 5 and 6 into operation to support expected growth in AI- and battery-related copper foil demand.