SoftBank Group reports 768 billion yen loss following US data center plan changes

SoftBank Group announced its consolidated financial results on November 11, 2026, revealing a net loss of 768 billion yen for the first half of the fiscal year. This period covers the months from April to September 2026. The reported deficit marks a sharp decline from the same period in the previous year, when the company recorded a net profit of nearly 3 trillion yen. The decrease in profit compared to the previous year's performance exceeds 3.6 trillion yen.

Drivers of the financial deficit

The primary factor contributing to the reported loss was a significant financial hit taken due to adjustments in the company's artificial intelligence data center construction plans in the United States. According to the company's report, approximately 597.2 billion yen was lost as a result of these changes. This specific loss was attributed to contract changes and various settlements that occurred following a decision to move up the procurement of power-related equipment.

The company had previously been procuring this power-related equipment ahead of its original schedule. This decision was made to address the long lead times that typically exist between the initial ordering of such equipment and its eventual delivery. However, the subsequent changes to the data center plans necessitated financial settlements that impacted the bottom line for the April–September period.

Growth in net sales

Despite the significant net loss, SoftBank Group saw an increase in its top-line revenue. Net sales for the period reached 4.235 trillion yen, which represents a 13.3% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. This growth in sales was not uniform across all sectors but was driven by specific international operations.

Reports indicated that the increase in sales was driven by strong performance in a UK-based semiconductor-related business. While the semiconductor sector provided a boost to the company's total revenue, the massive costs associated with the shifting data center strategies in the United States outweighed these gains, resulting in the overall consolidated deficit for the half-year period.

Summary of financial performance

The financial results highlight a period of significant volatility for the group. While the company managed to grow its sales through its semiconductor interests in the United Kingdom, the strategic shifts regarding infrastructure in the United States created a substantial financial burden. The transition from a nearly 3 trillion yen profit in the previous year to a 768 billion yen loss demonstrates the high cost of adjusting large-scale technological infrastructure projects in real time.