WEBTOON Entertainment Inc.
Business
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. operates a global storytelling platform that enables creators to publish serialized visual and text narratives and connects them with an engaged user community. It offers web-comics and web-novels in a mobile-optimized, vertical-scroll serialized format, together with Paid Content, advertising products, creator monetization tools and IP adaptation services such as licensing and merchandise. Key business segments comprise Paid Content, Advertising and IP Adaptations, supported by foundational technology, AI, community features and creator support services. WEBTOON distributes content via mobile apps and partner platforms across Korea, Japan, North America and other international markets through organic and paid marketing channels.
Summary from filing dated 2025-03-11
Financials
Consolidated Statement of Income
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 1,383 | 1,348 | 1,283 | 1,079 | |
| Cost of revenue | −1,061 | −1,009 | −987 | −806 | |
| Marketing | −126 | −108 | −121 | −180 | |
| General and administrative expenses | −260 | −332 | −211 | −208 | |
| Operating Loss | −64 | −101 | −36 | −115 | |
| Interest income | 19 | 16 | 3 | 1 | |
| Interest expense | −56,000 | −45,000 | −79,000 | −844,000 | |
| Impairment losses on goodwill and other intangible assets, net | −336 | −70 | −63 | — | |
| Gain (loss) on equity method investments, net | 1 | −1 | −12 | −5 | |
| Other income (loss), net | −10 | 6 | −24 | 937,000 | |
| Loss before income tax | −389 | −149 | −133 | −118 | |
| Income tax benefit (expense) | 16 | −4 | −12 | −14 | |
| Net loss | −373 | −153 | −145 | −133 | |
| Net income (loss) attributable to WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. | −346 | −144 | −116 | −130 | |
| Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests and redeemable non-controlling interests | −27 | −9 | −28 | −3 | |
| Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax | 10 | −72 | −17 | −29 | |
| Share of other comprehensive income (loss) of equity method investments, net of tax | 896,000 | −94,000 | −906,000 | 190,000 | |
| Total other comprehensive loss, net of tax | 11 | −72 | −18 | −29 | |
| Total comprehensive loss | −363 | −225 | −163 | −162 | |
| Total comprehensive loss attributable to WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. | −336 | −214 | −135 | −159 | |
| Total comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interests and redeemable non-controlling interests | −27 | −11 | −28 | −3 | |
| Basic (in shares) | 130 | 119 | 110 | 107 | |
| Diluted (in shares) | 130 | 119 | 110 | 107 | |
| Basic (in usd per share) | −2.66 | −1.21 | −1.06 | −1.22 | |
| Diluted (in usd per share) | −2.66 | −1.21 | −1.06 | −1.22 |
Consolidated Balance Sheet
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 | FY 2021 2021-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 582 | 572 | 232 | — | — | |
| Receivables, net of allowance for credit losses of $3,418 and $1,049 at December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 177 | 169 | 172 | — | — | |
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets, net | 73 | 95 | 82 | — | — | |
| Total current assets | 831 | 836 | 493 | — | — | |
| Property and equipment, net | 8 | 4 | 12 | — | — | |
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 24 | 17 | 29 | — | — | |
| Debt and equity securities | 70 | 70 | 91 | — | — | |
| Intangible assets, net | 158 | 181 | 220 | — | — | |
| Goodwill, net | 337 | 665 | 779 | 884 | — | |
| Equity method investments | 80 | 79 | 64 | 77 | — | |
| Deferred tax assets | 22 | 18 | 24 | — | — | |
| Other non-current assets, net | 65 | 66 | 64 | — | — | |
| Total assets | 1,596 | 1,935 | 1,777 | — | — | |
| Accounts payables | 137 | 127 | 127 | — | — | |
| Accrued expenses | 67 | 62 | 63 | — | — | |
| Current portion of operating lease liabilities | 10 | 6 | 10 | — | — | |
| Contract liabilities | 90 | 86 | 77 | — | — | |
| Income tax payables corporate tax | 1 | 10 | 9 | — | — | |
| Consumption taxes payables | 3 | 8 | 7 | — | — | |
| Provisions and defined pension benefits | 9 | 11 | 6 | — | — | |
| Other current liabilities | 2 | 2 | 13 | — | — | |
| Total current liabilities | 319 | 313 | 316 | — | — | |
| Long-term operating lease liabilities | 14 | 11 | 19 | — | — | |
| Defined severance benefits | 25 | 22 | 23 | — | — | |
| Deferred tax liabilities | 6 | 30 | 61 | — | — | |
| Other non-current liabilities | 4 | 2 | 9 | — | — | |
| Total liabilities | 367 | 379 | 429 | — | — | |
| Commitments and Contingencies (Note 10) | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Redeemable non-controlling interest in subsidiary | 25 | 37 | 41 | 47 | 0 | |
| Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value 100,000,000 authorized and no shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | |
| Common stock, $0.0001 par value 2,000,000,000 authorized, 130,776,161 shares and 128,587,944 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2025, and December 31, 2024, respectively | 13,000 | 13,000 | 11,000 | — | — | |
| Additional paid-in capital | 2,138 | 2,104 | 1,667 | — | — | |
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | −114 | −125 | −55 | — | — | |
| Accumulated deficit | −853 | −507 | −363 | — | — | |
| Total stockholders equity attributable to WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. | 1,170 | 1,472 | 1,249 | — | — | |
| Non-controlling interests in consolidated subsidiaries | 33 | 48 | 57 | 85 | — | |
| Total equity | 1,204 | 1,520 | 1,306 | 1,469 | 1,076 | |
| Total liabilities, redeemable non-controlling interest, and equity | 1,596 | 1,935 | 1,777 | — | — |
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
| Concept | Trend | FY 2025 2025-12-31 | FY 2024 2024-12-31 | FY 2023 2023-12-31 | FY 2022 2022-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allowance for credit losses | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 35 | 40 | 38 | 35 | |
| Operating lease expense | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | |
| Loss (Gain) on foreign currency, net | −2 | −3 | 6 | 16 | |
| Deferred tax benefit | −29 | −25 | −16 | −7 | |
| Loss (Gain) on debt and equity securities, net | 9 | −2 | 23 | −624,000 | |
| Contingent consideration liability | 0 | −4 | −789,000 | 448,000 | |
| Stock-based compensation | 42 | 87 | 3 | 0 | |
| Gain on disposal of right-of-use assets, net | 0 | −2 | −62,000 | — | |
| Change in severance benefit, net | 6 | 4 | −737,000 | −292,000 | |
| Loss on investments in subsidiaries, net | 0 | 3 | 884,000 | 0 | |
| Other non-cash items | 14,000 | −707,000 | −3 | 443,000 | |
| Changes in receivables | −873,000 | −24 | 31 | 42 | |
| Changes in other assets | 1 | −36 | −7 | −33 | |
| Changes in accounts payable | 3 | 26 | −8 | −48 | |
| Changes in accrued expenses | 6 | 2 | 3 | −17 | |
| Changes in consumption taxes payables | −6 | 3 | 3 | — | |
| Changes in contract liabilities | 2 | 22 | 1 | 3 | |
| Changes in withholdings | −6 | −8,000 | 1 | — | |
| Changes in income tax payable - corporate tax | −9 | 634,000 | 1 | — | |
| Changes in other liabilities | −7 | −812,000 | 5 | −3 | |
| Changes in operating lease liabilities | −8 | −9 | −10 | −10 | |
| Changes in deposits | −294,000 | 2 | −260,000 | −3 | |
| Transfer of severance benefits | −3 | −956,000 | −3 | −2 | |
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 11 | 18 | 15 | −141 | |
| Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments | 43 | 68 | 15 | 16 | |
| Proceeds from sale of debt and equity securities | 0 | 3 | 2 | 871,000 | |
| Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | 297,000 | 6 | 659,000 | 608,000 | |
| Proceeds from sale of equity method investments | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | |
| Proceeds from loan receivable | 2 | 0 | 311,000 | 113,000 | |
| Payment from maturities of short-term investments | −26 | −77 | −35 | 0 | |
| Payment made for loan receivable | −904,000 | −264,000 | −11 | −3 | |
| Purchases of debt and equity securities | −7 | −1 | −9 | −29 | |
| Purchases of property and equipment | −8 | −2 | −10 | −3 | |
| Purchases of intangible assets | −10 | −11 | −12 | −18 | |
| Purchases of equity method investments | 0 | −9 | −682,000 | −14 | |
| Acquisition of businesses, net of cash | −148,000 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| Disposal of businesses, net of cash | 0 | −315,000 | 2 | −520,000 | |
| Other investing activities | 119,000 | 470,000 | 187,000 | 140,000 | |
| Net cash used in investing activities | −7 | −17 | −52 | −51 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock upon initial public offering, net of underwriting discounts and commissions | 0 | 293 | 0 | 0 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock related to private placement | 0 | 50 | 0 | 408 | |
| Capital contribution to a non-wholly owned subsidiary from a limited partner | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Payments of initial public offering costs | 0 | −11 | 0 | 0 | |
| Proceeds from exercise of over-allotment, net of underwriting discounts and commissions | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | |
| Proceeds from stock option exercise | 1 | 746,000 | 0 | 0 | |
| Proceeds from short-term borrowings | 139,000 | 0 | 383,000 | 77 | |
| Repayments of short-term borrowings | 0 | −4 | −6 | −105 | |
| Repayments of long-term borrowings | 0 | −15,000 | −64,000 | 0 | |
| Payment of contingent consideration related to business acquisition | 0 | −2 | −4 | −2 | |
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | 1 | 354 | −6 | 350 | |
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | 4 | −14 | −4 | −20 | |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 9 | 341 | −48 | 139 | |
| Income taxes paid | 25 | 26 | 27 | 29 | |
| Interest paid | 1,000 | 85,000 | 92,000 | 700,000 | |
| Reclassification of debt and equity securities to equity method investments | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | |
| Reclassification of deferred offering costs to additional paid-in capital upon IPO | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | |
| Share exchange with NAVER upon issuance of new WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. shares | 0 | 0 | 580 | 0 | |
| Purchase of property and equipment included in accounts payable | 0 | 2,000 | 11,000 | 9 |