Acquisition of ABB Ltd’s Robotics Business
SoftBank Group Corp. (“SBG”) today announced that on October 8, 2025 (Central European Time), it entered into a definitive agreement with ABB Ltd (“ABB”), a global technology leader in electrification*1 and automation, to acquire ABB’s robotics business for a total purchase price of USD 5.375 billion (approximately JPY 818.7 billion*2) (the “Acquisition”).
The Acquisition has been approved by SBG’s Board of Directors and remains subject to customary regulatory approvals including in the European Union, China, and the United States, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. SBG expects the Acquisition to close in mid-to-late 2026.
*1 Electrification refers to shifting the energy sources for power, heat, and lighting—traditionally derived from fossil fuels—to electricity in sectors such as transportation, industry, and buildings.
*2 Converted at USD = JPY 152.31
1. Rationale for the Acquisition
The center of the “Information Revolution” has evolved from personal computers, the Internet, and broadband to smartphones, and has now entered a new phase led by artificial intelligence (AI). In this context, SBG has declared its mission to realize artificial super intelligence (ASI) for the advancement of humanity. As part of this mission, SBG is actively investing and expanding its businesses in four essential areas: (i) AI chips, (ii) AI robots, (iii) AI data centers, and (iv) energy, as well as investing in companies at the forefront of generative AI.
The Acquisition is part of this strategy and is expected to significantly strengthen SBG’s AI robotics business. ABB’s robotics business is a globally recognized brand, known for its reliability and high performance, supported by extensive sales channels and customer relationships. SBG is well-positioned to reignite the robotics business’s growth, particularly through investment in cutting-edge technologies such as AI.
Following the Acquisition, the robotics platform, expertise, and existing local footprint will be complemented by the technological foundations of SBG’s existing robotics-related investments—SoftBank Robotics Group Corp., Berkshire Grey, Inc., AutoStore Holdings Ltd., Agile Robots SE, and Skild AI, Inc., among others—to accelerate innovation in AI robotics and drive progress and growth toward the realization of ASI.
2. Acquisition Method
ABB will carve out its robotics business into a newly established holding company. SBG plans to acquire, through a subsidiary, all shares of this holding company from ABB for a total purchase price of USD 5.375 billion. As a result, this holding company will become a subsidiary of SBG.
3. Timeline
| SBG Board resolution*3 | September 22, 2025 (Japan time) | |
|---|---|---|
| Execution of purchase agreement with ABB | October 8, 2025 (Central European Time) | |
| Closing | Mid-to-late 2026 (planned) | |
*3 The final decision with respect to the final terms of the Acquisition and the agreements thereof was delegated to Mr. Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO, and Mr. Yoshimitsu Goto, Corporate Officer, Senior Vice President, CFO, CISO & GCO, to the extent not inconsistent with the contents of the SBG Board resolution.
4. About the Holding Company to Be Acquired
| (1) Name | To be determined | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (2) Address | Zürich, Switzerland | ||
| (3) Name and title of representative | Marc Segura (currently President of ABB Robotics Division) | ||
| (4) Nature of business | Development, manufacture, and sale of industrial robots | ||
| (5) Capital | To be determined | ||
| (6) Founded | To be determined | ||
| (7) Number of employees | To be determined. Current employee number of ABB’s robotics business is approximately 7,000 | ||
| (8) Relationship with SBG | Capital relationship | None | |
| Personnel relationship | None | ||
| Business relationship | None | ||
|
(9) ABB’s robotics business’s operating results and financial position in the past three years (US GAAP, Pro Forma, Unaudited)*4 Unit: million USD | |||
| Fiscal year ended Dec 2022 | Fiscal year ended Dec 2023 | Fiscal year ended Dec 2024 | |
| Revenue | 2,258 | 2,452 | 2,279 |
| EBITDA | 221 | 385 | 313 |
| Operational EBITA*5 | 186 | 349 | 277 |
| Net assets | 642 | 785 | 770 |
*4 Figures provided by ABB. They may differ from the actual figures of the business scope to be acquired and operated on a standalone basis.
*5 “Operational EBITA” is a performance indicator used by ABB, referring to operating profit excluding acquisition-related amortization, restructuring-related and implementation costs, gains and losses from sale of businesses, and certain non-operational items.
5. Acquisition Price and Voting Rights Before and After the Acquisition
| (1) Voting rights before the Acquisition | - | |
|---|---|---|
| (2) Voting rights to be acquired | 100% | |
| (3) Acquisition price | Total purchase price: USD 5.375 billion (approx. JPY 818.7 billion)*6 Acquisition-related costs: To be determined*7 | |
| (4) Voting rights after the Acquisition | 100% | |
*6 The purchase price is subject to customary adjustments including net working capital and net debt as at the closing date.
*7 Estimated acquisition-related costs will be announced once determined.
6. Comments from Management
Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO, SoftBank Group Corp., said, “SoftBank’s next frontier is Physical AI. Together with ABB Robotics, we will unite world-class technology and talent under our shared vision to fuse Artificial Super Intelligence and robotics — driving a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward.”
Morten Wierod, CEO, ABB, said, “SoftBank will be an excellent new home for the business and its employees. ABB and SoftBank share the same perspective that the world is entering a new era of AI-based robotics and believe that the division and SoftBank’s robotics offering can best shape this era together. ABB Robotics will benefit from the combination of its leading technology and deep industry expertise with SoftBank’s state-of-the-art capabilities in AI, robotics and next-generation computing. This will allow the business to strengthen and expand its position as a technology leader in its field.”
7. About ABB
| (1) Name | ABB Ltd | |
|---|---|---|
| (2) Address | Zürich, Switzerland | |
| (3) Name and title of representative | Morten Wierod, President and Chief Executive Officer | |
| (4) Nature of business | Electrification, Motion, Process Automation and Robotics & Discrete Automation | |
| (5) Capital | USD 162 million (as of December 31, 2024) | |
| (6) Founded | January 5, 1988 | |
| (7) Consolidated Net Assets | USD 15,060 million (as of December 31, 2024) | |
| (8) Consolidated Total Assets | USD 40,357 million (as of December 31, 2024) | |
| (9) Major shareholders*8 | Investor AB, Sweden UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) AG BlackRock, Inc., U.S.A. | |
| (10) Relationship with SBG | Capital relationship | None |
| Personnel relationship | None | |
| Business relationship | None | |
*8 Please refer to “Major shareholders” on ABB’s official website for details.
8. Future Outlook
SBG will announce the impact of the Acquisition on its financial results and the specific schedule of the Acquisition once they are determined.
(Reference) SBG’s consolidated financial results forecast and actual results of the previous period
| Net sales | Income before income tax | Net income attributable to owners of the parent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2026 | Millions of yen - | Millions of yen - | Millions of yen - |
| Actual for the fiscal year ended March 2025 | Millions of yen 7,243,752 | Millions of yen 1,704,721 | Millions of yen 1,153,332 |
Currently it is difficult to provide earnings forecasts in figures due to a large number of uncertain factors affecting earnings. SBG will announce its forecasts on consolidated results of operations when it becomes possible to make a reasoned projection.
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