SoftBank weighs roughly $18 billion purchase of Allied Universal

what happened

SoftBank Group is considering an acquisition of Allied Universal, a US security services provider that could be valued at about $18 billion. According to ru.tradingview.com, citing Bloomberg News, the plan was reported on Friday based on people familiar with the matter.

Allied Universal supplies security staff for businesses, venues and major events, and has a growing role in the data center industry, supporting both the building and running of facilities. For SoftBank, the deal would fit its push into artificial intelligence and robotics: according to the sources, some security tasks could eventually be handed to robots, although deploying humanoid security workers would likely take longer.

The talks are preliminary and no final decisions have been made, including on price. SoftBank declined to comment, and Allied Universal had not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment.

why it matters

A potential $18 billion deal is a large corporate transaction that shows where SoftBank is directing capital: AI, data centers and automation. The company has already agreed to buy ABB's robotics business for $5.4 billion and completed the final phase of its $30 billion OpenAI investment. Because no decisions have been made, the immediate effect on share prices is limited, but the move signals continued investment in AI and robotics.

market impact

SoftBank and AI sector: a large deal underlines the bet on robotics and AI infrastructure

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