Futures slip, bank earnings ahead, Powell to speak - what’s moving markets
Investing.com -- Moody’s Ratings has upgraded SoftBank Group Corp.’s corporate family rating to Ba2 from Ba3 and revised its outlook to stable from positive, the ratings agency announced Wednesday.
The upgrade reflects improvements in SoftBank’s credit fundamentals, including sustained reduction in leverage and secured debt, along with progress in asset divestments. The company’s execution of investment strategies and financial management over the past 12-18 months has demonstrated reduced governance risks.
SoftBank has maintained its market value-based leverage (MVL) in the low-to-mid-20% range during this period, with Moody’s estimating MVL at approximately 23% at the end of June 2025. This represents a significant improvement from previous levels in the high-30%-to-low-40% range.
The company has completed the divestment of its stake in Alibaba Group Holding Limited and has physically settled all Alibaba prepaid forward contracts. The proportion of secured debt, including margin loans and forward contracts, has decreased to about 20% of SoftBank’s debt at the holding company level at the end of June 2025, down from approximately 50% a year earlier.
SoftBank’s Ba2 rating is supported by its significant investment portfolio, with listed assets accounting for about 70% of its total portfolio value. These listed assets primarily include Arm Holdings plc, SoftBank Corp., and T-Mobile US, Inc.
Despite these strengths, the rating is constrained by exposure to event risks from large transactions that could alter its investment portfolio and capital structure. The company’s interest coverage remains low, with recurring income primarily dependent on dividends from SoftBank Corp.
While SoftBank’s liquidity profile temporarily weakened at the end of June 2025, subsequent bond issuances and asset sales from July through September 2025 have mitigated these risks, providing funds to cover about two years of debt maturities.
Moody’s also upgraded SoftBank’s senior unsecured ratings to Ba2 from Ba3 and subordinated debt rating to B1 from B2.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.