Morningstar

ABB Confirms China Blocked SoftBank Deal for Robotics Unit

Provided by Dow Jones Nov 5, 2026, 7:10:00 AM

By Fabiana Negrin Ochoa

Tech company ABB confirmed that it has been informed by SoftBank Group that Chinese regulators have blocked the Japanese technology conglomerate's planned acquisition of its robotics business in China.

ABB said Thursday that it is in close dialogue with SoftBank and that the two companies are working constructively on the transaction.

The move puts the brakes on SoftBank's bid to buy ABB's robotics division, a deal agreed in October last year at an enterprise value of $5.375 billion.

The Financial Times earlier reported that Chinese regulators were prohibiting the takeover.

SoftBank declined to comment on the matter when contacted earlier.

ABB is a Swiss-Swedish company specializing in electrification and automation.

Write to Fabiana Negrin Ochoa at fabiana.negrinochoa@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 05, 2026 02:10 ET (07:10 GMT)

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