软银集团周五表示,将以高达5000亿日元(48亿美元)的价格回购7%的股份。此前,激进投资者埃利奥特管理公司要求软银回购200亿美元的股份。
SoftBank Group Corp. said on Friday it will buy back up to 7 percent of its own shares for as much as 500 billion yen (US$4.8 billion), a decision that comes after activist investor Elliott Management pressed for US$20 billion in stock buybacks.
A SoftBank spokeswoman said the company had decided to conduct the buyback of its own accord after considering the risk that current stock market volatility could increase the deep discount that SoftBank’s stock has relative to the value of its holdings.
No fresh financing is planned for the buyback, the spokeswoman said.
The company said last month it plans to borrow up to 500 billion yen from 16 domestic and foreign financial institutions using part of its stake in telecommunications firm SoftBank Corp. as collateral to boost its cash on hand.
Elliott, one of the world’s most powerful activist investors, has amassed a holding of almost US$3 billion in SoftBank and has pressured SoftBank on a range of issues, including buybacks and improving transparency.
SoftBank’s shares were down nearly 8 percent in afternoon trade as the Tokyo market slumped on concern about the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
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