The global industrial robot pattern is being reshaped. Swiss technology giant ABB and Japan Softbank Group reached an agreement on October 8, and ABB robot business officially changed hands with Softbank.

ABB China official WeChat WeChat official account announced on October 9 that it has signed an agreement to sell its robot business unit to Softbank Group, with a transaction valuation of US$ 5.375 billion.

At the same time, ABB decided to terminate the original independent listing plan of the business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the middle and late 2026.

This transaction not only marks a major adjustment of ABB's strategic focus, but also a key step in the layout of Softbank Group in the field of artificial intelligence robots.

01 deal settled: sale replaces listing.

This acquisition transaction has drawn a new full stop for the future of ABB's robot business.

In April 2025, ABB announced that it planned to spin off its robotics business unit with the goal of starting trading as an independent listed company in the second quarter of 2026.

However, just six months later, ABB changed its direction.

The acquisition proposal of Softbank Group made ABB abandon the plan of independent spin-off and choose to sell this path directly.

ABB Chairman Peter Voser said in a statement that the board of directors carefully evaluated Softbank's offer and compared it with the original intention of the spin-off.

He believes that this decision not only reflects the long-term strength of the business, but more importantly, it can create "immediate value" for ABB shareholders.

Business value: The second robot giant in the world is one of the "Big Four" industrial robots in the world, and the strength of ABB's robot business should not be underestimated. The business unit has about 7,000 employees worldwide. In 2024, the sales revenue of this department was US$ 2.3 billion, accounting for about 7% of ABB Group's total revenue, and its operating profit margin before interest, tax and amortization was 12.1%. In terms of global market share, ABB's robot business ranks second, second only to Fanuc of Japan, and ahead of Yaskawa Electric Corporation of Japan and KUKA of Germany. This market position makes it a valuable asset in the eyes of Softbank Group.

03 Selling motivation: business divestiture with limited synergy.

ABB clarified the main reasons for selling the robot business in the announcement.

The company admits that "the business and technology synergy between the robot business and other business units of the group is limited" and faces different market demands and market characteristics.

Morten Wierod, CEO of ABB, further explained that the market of robots fluctuates greatly in terms of growth rate and profit rate, which is different from the industry characteristics of electrification and automation business.

From a financial point of view, the divestiture is expected to bring ABB a net cash income of about $5.3 billion and a non-operating pre-tax book income of about $2.4 billion.

After the transaction is completed, ABB will be streamlined into three business areas, focusing more on the core business of electrification and automation.

04 strategic layout: Softbank's "physical AI" ambition

For Softbank Group, this acquisition is an important part of its strategic layout of artificial intelligence.

Masayoshi Son, chairman and CEO of Softbank Group, made it clear: "The next frontier of Softbank is physical artificial intelligence."

He further explained that the acquisition is part of promoting its broader vision of "physical artificial intelligence", that is, integrating super artificial intelligence with robotics to promote a breakthrough change.

The era of super artificial intelligence (ASI) predicted by Sun Zhengyi is expected to come in 2035, which he believes will promote human evolution.

The acquisition of ABB robot business provides Softbank with the key technology platform and industry expertise to realize this vision.

Future impact: the global robot pattern has changed. This transaction will have a far-reaching impact on both sides and even the global robot market.

For ABB, selling its most dazzling robot business will make it a purer electrification and automation company, showing greater similarity with competitors such as Siemens and Schneider Electric.

This is the largest business restructuring since ABB sold its power grid business to Hitachi, Japan for over 10 billion US dollars in 2018.

For Softbank, this is an important opportunity to revitalize its robot business.

Ten years ago, Pepper, a humanoid robot launched by Softbank, finally failed due to high cost and poor reliability.

Today, through the acquisition of ABB's robot business, Softbank has acquired a world-class industrial robot technology platform, which is expected to occupy a leading position in the new era of AI and robot integration.

After the deal was settled, ABB's share price once hit a record high. Analysts at Vontobel, a Swiss investment bank, pointed out that ABB's P/E ratio for selling the robot business unit was "very attractive".

For Softbank Group, this marks its official return to the robot arena. This time, it bet heavily with AI and walked side by side with world-class industrial robot technology.

The global industrial robot market, which has been formed for decades, is quietly reconstructing under the dual drive of capital and technology.