[THE INVESTOR] Celltrion, South Korean biopharmaceutical firm, has seen its market value increase the most among 100 largest listed local companies by market cap over the past decade, according to a market tracker on Oct. 19.

Celltrion’s market capitalization stood at 12.6 trillion won (US$11.10 billion) as of Oct. 2 this year, over 700 times more than its value of a mere 17.4 billion won on Oct. 4, 2006, according to CEO Score that tracks corporate performances in the country.



Leading furniture maker Hanssem saw its market cap skyrocket 2,790 percent to 4.2 trillion won over the cited period, with the market cap of AmorePacific Group spiking 2,782 percent to 13.4 trillion won.

In terms of market-cap growth, Komipharm International came next with 1,723 percent, trailed by LG Household and Health Care with 1,164 percent, top mobile messenger operator Kakao with 813 percent and cosmetics giant AmorePacific with 778 percent.

Out of the top 10 gainers in market value, four were pharmaceutical companies and three were cosmetics manufacturers, which analysts said points to the fact that makers of domestic-oriented consumer goods have led the stock market’s growth over the past decade.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)