SoftBank to Spin Off Telecom Unit in $21 Billion IPO
*By Carlo Versano*
SoftBank Group, the Japanese multinational conglomerate with stakes in some of the hottest U.S. tech start-ups, is planning a massive IPO for its telecom arm that could become Japan's largest public offering to date, [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-11-12/softbank-unveils-21-billion-ipo-of-mobile-business?srnd=premium) reported Monday.
SoftBank Founder Masayoshi Son is reportedly seeking $21 billion for the new entity that will be called SoftBank Corp. and begin trading Dec. 19. Citing the prospectus, Bloomberg said the company will offer 1.6 billion shares at 1,500 yen a piece, or roughly $13. That figure could change as the range of the offering is set.
Son has used his $100 billion Vision Fund to transform SoftBank into a holding company with stakes in some of the world's most valuable technology companies, including Uber, WeWork, and Alibaba ($BABA). Softbank's telecom and mobile operation has long been the company's bread and butter, and spinning it off will give Son room to further position himself as a tech kingmaker.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said Thursday that the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. in the current fiscal quarter will be sourced from India, while iPads and other devices will come from Vietnam as the company works to avoid the impact of President Trump’s tariffs on its business. Apple’s earnings for the first three months of the year topped Wall Street’s expectations thanks to high demand for its iPhones, and the company said tariffs had a limited effect on the fiscal second quarter’s results. Cook added that for the current quarter, assuming things don’t change, Apple expects to see $900 million added to its costs as a result of the tariffs.