SoftBank Telecom Unit Plans First Bond Sale Since Listing

(Bloomberg) -- The Japanese telecommunications business of billionaire Masayoshi Son’s conglomerate is planning to sell its first bond since listing, in a test of investor sentiment after recent stumbles by the broader group.

SoftBank Corp. is considering the sale of five-, seven- and 10-year notes in the current fiscal year ending March 31, with pricing likely to occur in the January-March quarter, people familiar with the matter said. Parent SoftBank Group Corp. earlier this month reported its first quarterly operating loss in 14 years, after writing down the value of marquee investments including WeWork.

SoftBank Corp. declined to comment, when asked by Bloomberg about the debt sale plan.

See also: SoftBank putting WeWork into perspective steadies default risk

The losses and rescue of WeWork have called into question Son’s deal-making approach just as he’s trying to raise an even larger successor to his $100 billion Vision Fund. The Japanese telecommunications business had considered a debt sale before the end of the calendar year, but its timing will likely be pushed into next year because of recent market concern surrounding WeWork, according to two people.

--With assistance from Rie Morita.

To contact the reporters on this story: Issei Hazama in Tokyo at ihazama@bloomberg.net;Ayai Tomisawa in Tokyo at atomisawa@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andrew Monahan at amonahan@bloomberg.net, Finbarr Flynn, Ken McCallum

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