ABB is selling its Robotics division to Japan's SoftBank for $5.4 billion, or 50.7 billion kronor. As a result, the company will not proceed with the initial public offering that had previously been announced.
– SoftBank’s acquisition offer has been carefully evaluated by ABB’s Board of Directors and Group Executive Committee and compared with our original intention to spin off the business. The offer reflects the long-term merits of the business, and the sale will create immediate value for ABB’s shareholders. ABB will use the proceeds from the transaction in line with our well-established capital allocation principles. “Our ambitions for ABB remain unchanged, and we will continue to focus on our long-term strategy, building on our leading positions in electrification and automation,” says ABB Chairman Peter Voser.
In a press release on Wednesday, ABB stated that significant customer value is created when ABB Robotics’ leading technology and industry expertise are combined with SoftBank’s cutting-edge and advanced capabilities in AI, robotics, and next-generation computing.
– It will be beneficial for ABB Robotics to combine its leading technologies with SoftBank’s cutting-edge expertise in AI and next-generation computing. This will enable the business to further strengthen its market position as a technology leader in its field,” adds ABB CEO and Group President Morten Wierod.
The ABB Robotics division has approximately 7,000 employees, with revenue of $2.3 billion in 2024 and an operating EBITA margin of 12.1 percent.
– SoftBank’s next step is physical AI. Together with ABB Robotics, we will combine world-class technology and expertise under a shared vision of merging artificial superintelligence with robotics, thereby enabling a groundbreaking evolution that will propel humanity forward, says Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp.
The transaction is expected to be completed in mid- to late 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
