Almost everyone at SoftBank except founder Son opposes going private
It’s not clear whether the firm could raise the necessary financing, and such a complex deal could be a distraction
Tokyo — Inside SoftBank Group, the idea of going private through a buyout has been discussed off and on for at least five years. Almost everyone except founder Masayoshi Son opposes it, people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
The reasons are substantial: no-one has pulled off a buyout anywhere close to SoftBank’s $134bn valuation. It’s not clear the company could raise the necessary financing, and such a complex deal would prove a distraction for at least a year, the people said. Senior managers also worry that without public shareholders, it would be harder to keep Son’s wildest impulses in check, one person said...
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