5
Softbank
(TSE: 9984)
Japan
At long last Softbank's multimedia mobile Internet strategy is coming together. Aided by growth of its Yahoo BB! high speed broadband service—now installed in more than 5 million Japanese homes—Softbank increased sales by 32%, to $9.9 billion in the 12 months ended Mar. 31, and registered a profit for the first time in five years. Investors also have had reason to cheer. Softbank's stock price has surged 87% over the past year. The future looks bright, too. In March, Softbank Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son signed a deal to buy British mobile phone giant Vodafone's Japan business for $15.5 billion, one of the biggest acquisitions in Japanese corporate history. That should help Softbank emerge as a genuine rival for telecom giants NTT DoCoMo and KDDI. Rumors are also mounting that Softbank and Apple will team up to launch an iPod cell phone in Japan.
Company Info |
|
| 2005 Rank | Not Ranked |
| Sales* ($ Millions) | 9,884.3 |
| Sales Growth (over prev. year) |
32 % |
| Profits* ($ Millions) | 513.1 |
| Return on Equity | 23.7 % |
| Total Return on Sales (12-mo.) | 108.9 |
| Share Price As of 5/31/06 | 24.25 |
| CURRENT MARKET INFO | TSE: 9984 |
| No. of Employees | |
| Industry | Internet Companies |
| COMPANY WEB SITE > | |
*Trailing 12 months
Stock price data as of 5/31/06
DATA: Standard & Poor's Compustat
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Company Snapshot
SOFTBANK provides various telecommunications services in Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore; the U.S. and Canada; and Europe. The company operates in nine segments: broadband infrastructure, fixed-line telecommunications, e-commerce, internet culture, broadmedia, technology services, media and marketing, overseas funds, and other. The broadband infrastructure segment offers high-speed Internet connection and Internet protocol telephony services, and content delivery services. The fixed-line telecommunications segment offers fixed-line telecommunications services, such as voice transmission services, data transmission services, and private leased circuit services. The e-commerce segment distributes personal computer software and hardware products, as well as providing enterprise solutions. It also engages in e-commerce activities, including business transaction platform and consumer-related e-commerce activities. The internet culture segment offers Internet-based advertising, broadband portals, and Internet-based auctions. The broadmedia segment provides applications and content for broadband broadcasting and communications. The technology services segment offers broadband-based solutions and services for networks, security, and applications. The media and marketing segment publishes books and magazines related to personal computers, Internet, and entertainment. It also develops Web content for information technology sector. The overseas funds segment invests in the U.S.- and Asia-focused global venture capital companies, focusing on Internet-related companies. The other segment engages in leisure and service operations, as well as e-finance operations. The company has strategic partnerships with Alibaba.com and Yahoo! SOFTBANK was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
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