SoftBank Group has sold its entire Nvidia stake worth $5.8 billion as part of founder Masayoshi Son’s bold plan to expand the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) empire.
SoftBank’s Move Toward AI Investments
SoftBank had raised its Nvidia investment to nearly $3 billion by March. The sale, along with strong gains from its Vision Fund, helped the company post a record net income of ¥2.5 trillion ($16.2 billion) in the fiscal second quarter — far above analyst expectations of ¥418.2 billion.
The company’s shares have surged 78% in the past three months, supported by growing optimism about its AI investments and the global boom in AI technologies.
SoftBank Announces 4-for-1 Stock Split
To make its shares more accessible to investors, SoftBank announced a 4-for-1 stock split effective January 1. The move is expected to boost liquidity and attract retail investors as the company strengthens its AI-focused portfolio.
SoftBank’s Global AI Expansion
Masayoshi Son is now fully focused on building what he calls the “AI revolution.” SoftBank’s portfolio already includes investments in OpenAI and Oracle Corporation.
The company is planning to invest $30 billion in OpenAI, with an additional $20 billion funding round and a $6.5 billion acquisition of Ampere Computing.
SoftBank is also participating in the massive Stargate Data Center Project and exploring a $1 trillion AI manufacturing hub in Arizona to strengthen AI infrastructure.
Analyst Upgrades and Future Outlook
Following these developments, Citigroup raised its target price for SoftBank shares to ¥27,100, citing the strong valuation potential of OpenAI — estimated between $500 billion and $1 trillion.
Analysts believe SoftBank is positioning itself as one of the most influential companies in the global AI ecosystem, leveraging its massive capital reserves and early bets on leading AI players.
Key Highlights
SoftBank sold entire Nvidia stake for $5.8 billion.
Reported record net income of ¥2.5 trillion in Q2 FY2025.
Announced a 4-for-1 stock split effective January 1.
Massive AI investments: $30B in OpenAI, $6.5B in Ampere Computing. Exploring $1 trillion AI hub in Arizona.
Source: Company filings, Citigroup research, and market reports.
SoftBank plunged ~40% from its Oct 29 peak
SoftBank plunged ~40% from its Oct 29 peak (27,315) to Nov 26 (16,210), erasing ¥16T in value as traders fear its giant OpenAI bet is too risky. With AI valuations under pressure after Gemini 3.0’s debut, SoftBank leads the global AI selloff despite a ¥2.5T Q2 boost from OpenAI.
