SoftBank Pushes LINE MAN Stake Purchase to January 2027 as Tech Selloff Weighs on Shares
Published on 10/30/2026 at 15:01 | Editorial boerse-global.de
SoftBank Group has pushed back the completion of its additional investment in LINE MAN CORPORATION PTE. LTD. to the end of January 2027, the Japanese conglomerate said, citing the extra time needed to finalize contractual arrangements. The transaction had originally been slated for completion by the end of October 2026. SoftBank expects only a minimal impact on its consolidated results for the current fiscal year from the revised timing.
The delay concerns a capital increase at LINE MAN CORPORATION, known as LMWN, a consolidated subsidiary of LY Corp. Through LINE SOUTHEAST ASIA CORP., SoftBank is to take up 12,428,298 new shares for USD 130 million, giving it an indirect stake in the business. Once the deal closes, the group anticipates holding 85,344,082 LMWN shares indirectly and a voting rights ratio of 63.7%, calculated on the basis of voting rights as of September 30 plus the newly issued shares.
Those figures are projections for the post-closing position rather than holdings already achieved — the final share count and voting ratio depend on the completion of the contractual agreements. For investors, the distinction between an announced increase and a completed transaction remains the key one, and the new target date means a near-term closing can no longer be assumed.
SoftBank's guidance on the earnings effect limits the immediate financial significance of the postponement. Its statement refers to the changed closing date, not to the broader business performance or the future return on the stake.
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Pressure Across Japanese Tech
The scheduling update came as SoftBank and other Japanese technology names faced selling pressure, with disappointing results from large US technology companies and mounting doubts about the profitability of heavy AI spending weighing on the sector. Reuters reported a weaker-than-expected Amazon revenue outlook and cash-flow strain from large outlays on AI data centers, while the results of Alphabet reinforced concerns about high artificial-intelligence spending and its earnings potential. SoftBank shares fell 2.4% in that environment.
Sentiment toward the stock also got a modest lift from Jefferies, which upgraded SoftBank to "Hold" from "Underperform." According to media reports, the brokerage attributed the move to reduced downside risk following the share-price decline rather than to a new thesis for gains.
Ola Electric Stake Trimmed
Separately, SVF II Ostrich (DE) LLC, a vehicle tied to SoftBank, cut its holding in Ola Electric from 12.9% to 11.7%. The company sold 55.5 million Ola Electric shares on the open market between January 6 and October 22, and disposed of an additional 1.12 crore entitlements.
Investor attention was also drawn to remarks about a possible technology investment in Malaysia. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on October 24, according to Fortune, that Masayoshi Son had selected sites in Kuching, Sarawak and on the Malaysian peninsula. SoftBank has not confirmed the proposed investment volume of USD 50 billion, which is aimed at artificial intelligence, new technologies and data centers.
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Bond Retired, Dividend Declared
On its own capital measures, SoftBank has already completed steps it announced. On October 23, the company said it had finished the early repayment and cancellation of its EUR-denominated senior note carrying a 2.875% coupon, fully redeeming the bond that had originally been due on January 6, 2027. The board also approved an interim dividend of JPY 5.50 per share on October 23, a payout totaling JPY 31,346 million and payable on December 2, 2026.
For the LMWN increase, the next decisive point is the actual closing on the newly named timetable.
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