Softbank-backed Oneconnect slashes IPO and lowers valuation December 12, 2019 Chinese fintech Oneconnect has slashed its target valuation and downsized its planned initial public offering (IPO) in the US, in yet another blow for Softbank. The fintech, which is a subsidiary of Chinese insurance giant Ping An, downsized its planned stock market debut in New York by 28 per cent. Read more: Another dog for Softbank [...]
Activist investor Elliott builds up $2.5bn stake in Softbank February 6, 2020 Activist hedge fund Elliott Management has reportedly built a $2.5bn (£1.93bn) stake in Softbank. The activist investor is discussing ways it could boost the value of the Japanese conglomerate, according to Reuters reports. One of the issues reportedly being discussed is how SoftBank can improve the decision-making process at its Vision Fund and the possibility [...]
Exclusive: Flexible office space firm Central Working falls into administration October 23, 2019 London-based flexible office space group Central Working has collapsed into administration. The co-working business, which hosts 1,850 companies across 11 sites in the UK, has appointed administrators from independent advisory firm Quantuma. Read more: Softbank seizes control of Wework in deal making Adam Neumann a billionaire A letter to tenants seen by City A.M. said [...]
UK firm tells staff to go meat-free to expense meals February 18, 2020 Employees of one property firm have decided that meat is firmly off the menu when it comes to expenses. For the 30 or so staff at Igloo Regeneration, they must now go vegetarian in order to expense not just lunches and dinners, but corporate entertaining and workshop catering too. Workers voted for the change after [...]
Wework to rebrand as The We Company in business structure overhaul, turning its eyes to fintech January 8, 2019 Shared workspace provider Wework is rebranding itself as The We Company, as the firm aims towards a more diversified business portfolio. To be announced at an internal company conference later this week, The We Company will become the parent to several offshoots, including Wework as its main office provider. Others include its residential unit Welive, and an [...]
Softbank shares up on reports it will scale back Wework investment amid tech rout January 8, 2019 Shares in Softbank rose more than five per cent this morning following reports it has scaled back its new investment in Wework. The Japanese conglomerate reportedly plans to invest $2bn (£1.6bn) into the shared workspace startup, down from the original sum of $16bn. The investment will no longer involve Softbank’s prolific $100bn Vision Fund, the [...]
Softbank buyback plan raises doubts about its ‘financial soundness’ June 11, 2020 Credit-rating firm S&P Global Ratings has questioned Softbank’s financial rigour as it pursues a huge share buyback programme. The buyback plan raises doubts about the conglomerate’s intention to adhere to “financial soundness and creditworthiness,” S&P said. Softbank is looking to raise up to $41bn via asset sales. The plan has already come under fire from [...]
Softbank mulls majority stake in Wework October 10, 2018 Softbank is reportedly in talks to take up a majority stake in co-working giant Wework, despite the firm tripling its losses last year. Sources told Reuters the pricing and valuation of the deal has not been confirmed, while the Wall Street Journal earlier reported the investment could be between $15bn (£11.4bn) and $20bn from Softbank's Vision Fund. The fund [...]
Nightmare: Casper Sleep slashes IPO valuation again February 5, 2020 Casper Sleep slashed the valuation it is seeking in its initial public offering again today, as the money-losing online mattress retailer tries to lure investors in a tepid market for start-up IPOs following Wework’s debacle last year. The price cut underscores the recent mismatch between the valuations start-ups are able to achieve in private fundraising [...]
Mattress startup Casper slashes valuation ahead of IPO January 27, 2020 Casper Sleep has said it expects its initial public offering (IPO) valuation to be well below the $1.1bn (£842m) the online mattress retailer had commanded in a recent funding round. In a regulatory filing in New York today, Casper said it expects its offering of 9.6 million shares to be priced between $17 and $19 [...]