Negotiations Are Underway for Softbank Acquisition of Sprint Nextel
By Rob Scott
October 12, 2012
October 12, 2012
- Japanese cellphone and Internet company Softbank Corp. has been in talks regarding a substantial ownership stake in struggling U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Nextel Corp., the third largest cellphone company in the U.S.
- “A deal would offer a multibillion-dollar lifeline that could help Sprint finance future mergers of its own and better compete with its much bigger and richer rivals,” reports the Wall Street Journal.
- People familiar with the negotiations suggests Softbank is looking to purchase 70 percent of Sprint. The news sent Sprint shares on Thursday to their highest level since 2008.
- Sprint has struggled since its merger with Nextel in 2005 and large investments including a costly network upgrade and its $15.5 billion commitment to carry the iPhone. (However, the iPhone deal has recently helped the company compete with contract customers.)
- “There are a number of potential hurdles to a deal, including winning over Sprint’s shareholders and resolving a complex relationship between Sprint and partner Clearwire Corp.,” notes WSJ. “If the deal happens, however, it could transform a market where just two companies, Verizon Wireless and AT&T Inc., have the bulk of the customers and profits.”
- The deal is expected to exceed $12.8 billion, although Softbank isn’t looking to buy Sprint outright. “Instead, the U.S. company is likely to get a multibillion-dollar cash infusion by selling new shares to Softbank, which would then seek to buy more stock in the market at a premium to the current price,” explains the article.
- This would provide Sprint with financial relief immediately, potentially lead to network improvements or acquisitions, while allowing Softbank to “gain control of Sprint for a lower price than if it bought the company outright.”
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