SoftBank Plans $4.1 Billion Retail Bond Issuance

SoftBank Group is set to raise approximately $4.1 billion (600 billion yen) through its largest-ever retail bond issuance. The funds will be used to redeem existing bonds and partially finance the acquisition of shares in Arm Holdings from its Vision Fund. The newly issued bonds, which will mature in May 2030, will yield between 3% and 3.6%. This move comes amid market volatility, with SoftBank's stock down 12.3% recently, attributed to fears surrounding rising tariffs impacting its semiconductor investments. Founder Masayoshi Son continues to leverage debt for significant investments, including a recent $30 billion contribution to OpenAI's $40 billion funding round. Despite these challenges, SoftBank aims to maintain a loans-to-assets ratio below 25%, currently at 12.9%.