2 min read Last Updated : Aug 06 2026 | 11:59 PM IST
SoftBank Group posted a smaller-than-expected 18 per cent drop in first-quarter profit on Thursday, buoyed by a gain on its stake in chipmaker Intel, even as it recorded no valuation gain from its holdings in ChatGPT developer OpenAI.
The investment and technology conglomerate booked record net income of more than 5 trillion yen ($31.70 billion) last year, boosted by the rising value of its ChatGPT holdings.
With corporate exposure to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom in focus around the world, investors are focusing their attention on the finances of Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank as he bets big on AI.
“There’s clear demand and an overwhelming shortage of supply”, chief financial officer Yoshimitsu Goto said at a press conference in Tokyo when asked about fears of a bubble in the buildout of AI data centres. “I think we’re in a very healthy state”, he added.
Net income in the April to June period was 347.3 billion yen. SoftBank booked an investment gain of 1.86 trillion yen in the quarter, with the biggest contributor its shareholding in Intel. Intel is run by Son ally Lip-Bu Tan and SoftBank made an investment in it last year as it underwent restructuring. SoftBank booked a gain on its stake in TikTok parent, ByteDance.
SoftBank’s fortunes have become closely tied to OpenAI, which is preparing for an IPO. Its investment in OpenAI is set to reach $64.6 billion by October for a stake of around 13 per cent. Total investment gain stands at $45 billion.
First Published: Aug 06 2026 | 11:59 PM IST