SoftBank says share buybacks remain option for company

TOKYO (Reuters) — SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said on Wednesday share buybacks remain an option for the conglomerate, amid a slide in its shares.

“Buybacks are always on my mind as an important option but when and how big requires balanced thinking,” Son said at SoftBank’s annual shareholders’ meeting, adding that the group also needs to consider alternative uses of its capital.

Shares in SoftBank, which completed a record 2.5 trillion yen ($22.6 billion) buyback program in May, have fallen amid weakness in tech stocks. That has helped widen its conglomerate discount — the gap between the value of its assets and share price — to about 50 percent.

SoftBank shares were flat at 7,699 yen on Wednesday. Further falls to 7,000-7,500 yen “may increase the expectation of a buyback,” Jefferies analyst Atul Goyal wrote in a note earlier this month.

Buybacks would increase 63-year-old Son’s own shareholding and make any management buyout easier to achieve.

“I believe our potential is much bigger than the discounted share price,” said Son, calling on shareholders to take a long-term view on the company.

The billionaire drew a historical comparison, saying that while credit is given to inventors like 18th century British steam engine pioneer James Watt, the capitalists that funded the railways are overlooked.