SoftBank's Busy Calendar: A Retired Euro Bond, a Delayed LINE MAN Deal and a $50 Billion Maybe
Published on 11/01/2026 at 14:02 | Editorial boerse-global.de
SoftBank Group spent late October tidying its balance sheet while investors chewed over whether the AI spending spree it has championed can pay for itself. The stock finished Friday at €25.95, down 1.1% on the day, as a broader retreat in Japanese chip and AI-linked names dragged the shares to a softer weekly close.
Reuters linked the selloff to two strands of worry: whether AI investments will earn adequate returns, and whether the boom can be financed sustainably. Both the economics of the spending and the funding behind it were central to the report.
Jefferies Turns More Constructive
Not everyone was trimming exposure. Jefferies upgraded SoftBank to "Hold" from "Underperform" on Wednesday and lifted its price target to JPY 7,270 from JPY 3,140, according to media reports. The double-barrelled move — a higher rating and a much higher target — was not enough to prevent the weaker end to the week.
A Euro Note Bows Out Early
On the funding side, SoftBank confirmed on 23 October that it had completed the early repayment and cancellation of its euro-denominated senior notes issued in 2021. The paper carried a 2.875% coupon and had been due on 6 January 2027. According to the company, no bonds under that issue remain outstanding.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying SoftBank Group?
The same day, the board approved an interim dividend of JPY 5.50 per share, amounting to JPY 31,346 million in total, payable on 2 December 2026.
LINE MAN Stake Purchase Slips to January 2027
One item on the to-do list is moving the other way. Consolidated subsidiary LY Corporation has pushed back the completion of its additional stake purchase in LINE MAN CORPORATION PTE. LTD., SoftBank said Friday. The related capital increase is now expected to be wrapped up by the end of January 2027.
Malaysia: A Number Without a Confirmation
A far larger potential commitment surfaced in Malaysia, though it comes with caveats. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on 25 October, according to Bloomberg, that Masayoshi Son had selected Kuching in Sarawak and sites on peninsular Malaysia for a proposed investment. The figure attached to the plan is US$50 billion, earmarked for artificial intelligence, new technologies and data centres. The statement is Anwar's; SoftBank has confirmed neither the amount nor the financing, so the project should not be read as a firm investment commitment.
SoftBank Group at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
What Comes Next
SoftBank has scheduled its second-quarter results presentation for the financial year 2026 on 10 November 2026, covering the six months through 30 September 2026. That disclosure will give shareholders the clearest read yet on how the AI build-out is being funded — and on whether the doubts that weighed on the stock this week have any basis in the numbers.
Ad
SoftBank Group Stock: New Analysis - 1 November
Fresh SoftBank Group information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
