SoftBank Group Corp. (SBG) announced a definitive agreement to acquire ABB Ltd’s Robotics business for a total purchase price of $5.375 billion. The transaction has been approved by SBG’s board and is subject to customary regulatory reviews in the EU, China, and the U.S., with closing targeted for mid-to-late 2026. SoftBank frames the move as core to its next chapter—“Physical AI”—and to its broader strategy of investing across four pillars: AI chips, AI robots, AI data centers, and energy. ABB’s industrial robotics unit brings a globally recognized brand, deep customer relationships, and roughly 7,000 employees. Financials shared with the release show pro-forma revenue of about $2.3–$2.5B over 2022–2024 and positive EBITDA and Operational EBITA, underscoring a mature, profitable platform. Post-acquisition, SoftBank plans to pair ABB’s hardware leadership and worldwide footprint with technology and know-how from its robotics portfolio—SoftBank Robotics, Berkshire Grey, AutoStore, Agile Robots, Skild AI, and others—to accelerate the fusion of advanced AI with physical automation. The business will be carved out by ABB into a new holding company, all of whose shares will be purchased by an SBG subsidiary, making it a wholly owned subsidiary at closing. Masayoshi Son said the combination will unite world-class technology and talent to advance a new era of AI-driven robotics, while ABB’s CEO Morten Wierod called SoftBank an “excellent new home” for the division. For full details, see SoftBank’s press release: Acquisition of ABB Ltd’s Robotics Business.