# Coupang Shares Look Bargain

> South Korea's Amazon could be undervalued as it turns profitable.
- Title: Coupang Shares Look Bargain · MoneyWeek | Shortify
- Summary: South Korea's Amazon could be undervalued as it turns profitable. Coupang's shares are undervalued after turning profitable in 2023 despite recent data…
- Keywords: coupang, south korea, amazon, retail stocks, softbank, data breaches, regulatory fines, profitability, Shares, Look, Bargain, MoneyWeek
- Source: MoneyWeek — https://moneyweek.com/investments/retail-stocks/coupang-looks-like-a-bargain-should-you-buy-south-koreas-amazon
- Published: 2026-10-19T06:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: coupang, south korea, amazon, retail stocks, softbank, data breaches, regulatory fines, profitability
## Coupang's origins
Coupang was founded by South Korean-born entrepreneur Bom Kim in 2010 after he saw America's customer-focused retail culture.
## South Korea's retail gap
South Korea's retail sector lagged due to chaebols, family-controlled conglomerates that protected themselves from foreign competition.
## Coupang's early struggles
Coupang initially used a Groupon-style model but shifted to logistics in 2012, facing funding challenges from venture capitalists.
## The 2015 SoftBank investment
SoftBank invested $1 billion in 2015, allowing Coupang to build fulfillment centers and refine its software before listing in 2021.
## Profitability milestone
Coupang turned profitable in 2023 after years of heavy losses, demonstrating the viability of its automated logistics network.
## Coupang's service expansions
Coupang launched WOW membership, Coupang Eats, and Fulfilment by Coupang, generating service revenue from third-party merchants.
## Recent regulatory challenges
Coupang faced a 162.8 billion won fine in 2024 for manipulating search algorithms and a data breach affecting 33 million customers in 2025.
## Current financial state
Coupang's shares have dropped 60% since 2023 highs despite turning profitable, trading at an enterprise value-to-sales ratio of 0.7.
## Key takeaway

Coupang's shares are undervalued after turning profitable in 2023 despite recent data breaches and regulatory fines.