NAVER plans logistics unit and AI agent in case of decline in operating profit – Unite.AI

NAVER announced plans for a logistics subsidiary and a personal AI agent app on November 12, 2026, reporting third-quarter revenue of KRW 3.4724 trillion, up 10.7% year-on-year. Operating profit fell 20.9% to KRW 451.3 billion due to increased AI-related investments.

Delivery services and agents target transactions

The trading activity provides the branch with an established base of transactions. According to the earnings presentation, NAVER platform services revenue increased 13.1% to KRW 473.6 billion, while Smartstore gross merchandise value, or the value of transactions on the platform, increased 6.4% despite the Chuseok holiday. Repeat purchases via the NAVER Plus Store app and subscription supported this growth.

Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon said the logistics subsidiary will gradually strengthen delivery infrastructure around leased fulfillment centers and described a cycle in which better delivery increases transactions, with the resulting volume improving efficiency for sellers, users and partners. NAVER also plans to expand N-Delivery coverage.

Personal Agent applies a similar transaction approach to NAVER’s AI services. The standalone app is expected to be released by the end of 2026, following AI Briefing and AI Tab. NAVER said it plans to extend services beyond recommendations and information provision to actual purchases and visits, linking agent task management to existing search and commerce activities.

Choi described an agent that can anticipate tasks users need to handle or perform heavy lifting on their behalf, with the goal of attracting new user groups and creating monetization opportunities. The product plan comes alongside efforts to improve AI card revisit and conversion rates and expand AI monetization in search.

Investments in AI squeeze margins

Operating margin narrowed to 13.0% from 18.2% a year earlier, showing the cost of expansion more clearly than revenue growth alone. NAVER attributed the decline in operating profits to increased investments in infrastructure, content and offline data intended to strengthen the competitiveness of AI.

Infrastructure spending increased 29.1% to KRW 282.3 billion due to internal-use computing resources and data center rentals, the presentation reports. Marketing costs for trade promotions and installations of Npay Connect terminals also increased, so the quarterly pressure was not limited to AI infrastructure.

AI factory revenue expected in 2027

NAVER said it has signed computing services contracts worth around KRW 2 trillion for the AI ​​Factory business it is pursuing with Brookfield and NVIDIA. The contracts secure initial customers for capacity that will come online in early 2027. Corporate revenue under Global Opportunities grew 33.0% in the third quarter, providing an existing line of business alongside upcoming infrastructure projects.

Choi said NAVER intends to pursue medium- and long-term contracts with large customers and expand its customer base among global AI companies, aiming for both stability and profitability. Related revenue is expected to start flowing into results in the first half of 2027.

The quarter poses a clear operational question: whether logistics and agent-driven transactions will be able to develop while AI Factory revenues remain a 2027 line item and current investments are already squeezing margins.