Japanese tech investment giant SoftBank Group Corp. delivered a stunning performance in the markets on Friday, as its shares jumped 13.38% to a record ¥14,240, marking the stock’s biggest single-day gain in five years. This rally follows the company’s impressive fiscal first-quarter results, driven by a strong rebound in its flagship Vision Fund.
SoftBank’s Q1 net profit for the April–June 2025 quarter came in at a massive ¥421.8 billion ($2.87 billion), crushing analyst estimates from LSEG, which had forecasted just ¥127.6 billion. The latest results mark a dramatic turnaround from the ¥174.28 billion net loss recorded during the same quarter last year.
This is also SoftBank’s second consecutive profitable quarter, signaling a strong recovery in its investment portfolio and management strategy under Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son.
Vision Fund Posts ¥451.4 Billion Profit
A key contributor to SoftBank’s blowout quarter is its Vision Fund segment, which logged a profit of ¥451.4 billion — its highest gain since the June quarter of 2021. This sharp recovery was powered by both private equity valuations and solid performance from publicly traded assets.
Among the top performers in the Vision Fund portfolio are:
- Grab Holdings – Singapore’s ride-hailing and delivery platform
- Swiggy – India’s leading food delivery service
- Arm Holdings – UK-based chip designer preparing for further public offerings
- Animoca Brands – A rising player in blockchain gaming and NFTs
- ByteDance – The parent firm of TikTok, still valued as a global digital giant
Upcoming IPOs Set to Boost SoftBank Further
SoftBank’s future looks equally promising with several portfolio companies gearing up for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs):
- Lenskart – India’s largest eyewear retailer filed its draft red herring prospectus on July 29, aiming to raise ₹21.5 billion ($247.58 million) through a fresh issue.
- PayPay – Japan’s top mobile payment firm is preparing for listing in Tokyo.
- Klarna – Sweden’s popular buy-now-pay-later fintech could file for a U.S. IPO soon.
- Klook – Asia’s travel and experiences platform is also expected to enter public markets soon.
These upcoming listings could further enhance SoftBank’s portfolio returns and fuel additional growth for the Vision Fund, which has been undergoing restructuring after pandemic-era challenges.
Investor Sentiment Turns Positive
SoftBank’s multi-session rally — now on its fourth straight day — signals renewed investor confidence, as the firm shifts from a period of high volatility and losses to strategic gains and value recovery. The earnings and fund performance suggest SoftBank is regaining its foothold in the competitive global tech investment landscape.
With major exits expected through IPOs and improved profitability across multiple verticals, analysts suggest that SoftBank could outperform broader Japanese indices in the coming quarters
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