SoftBank Stock Tanks 12% on OpenAI IPO Delay Fears
SoftBank shares cratered after reports surfaced that OpenAI might push its IPO to 2027, denting investor hopes.
SoftBank Group took a brutal 12% hit to its stock price after reports emerged that OpenAI could delay its initial public offering until 2027. That's not the timeline investors were banking on.
The Japanese conglomerate has been riding high partly on expectations that OpenAI's market debut would deliver a massive windfall. SoftBank is a major backer of the AI giant, and the anticipated IPO had been propping up investor confidence in the stock.
Now, with a potential postponement pushing returns further into the future, the market punished SoftBank swiftly and decisively. A delayed IPO means delayed liquidity — and Wall Street doesn't do patience well.
The selloff underscores just how much of SoftBank's valuation story is tied to OpenAI's trajectory. When your biggest bet takes longer to pay off, shareholders notice immediately.