SoftBank shaken, but bailing out WeWork

Japanese technology giant SoftBank has committed billions of dollars to bailing out office-space sharing start-up WeWork in a daring vote of confidence from its intrepid founder Masayoshi Son.

WeWork’s woes are substantial enough that some analysts say they could derail the investment ambitions of SoftBank’s mammoth Vision Fund.

But as one of the most innovative companies in conservative Japan Inc, SoftBank is no stranger to risk-taking. SoftBank oversees an expanding conglomerate of businesses spanning telecommunications, energy, and humanoid robots.

Softbank will dish out US$5 billion in new financing for WeWork and launch a tender offer of up to US$3 billion for existing WeWork shareholders. Softbank also is accelerating its earlier promise of US$1.5 billion in funding for WeWork.

SoftBank says it has ample cash for the deal. It will own about 80 per cent of WeWork, and is sending SoftBank Chief Operating Office Marcelo Claure, a venture veteran, to be executive chairman of WeWork’s board.

Adam Neumann, the co-founder, will become an “observer” in an expanded board that will have voting control over Neumann’s shares.

WEWORK’S PLIGHT

The New York-based company, founded in 2010, set up shop just last year in Japan, where its clients include Pinterest and Slack. Globally, as of June, WeWork had 528 locations in 111 cities in 29 nations.

Earlier this month, plans for an initial-public-offering of WeWork were suspended amid doubts over its management and profitability.

Son, SoftBank Group’s chairman and chief executive, has dismissed analysts’ criticism that he is backing what some fear is only a volatile real estate company, not an innovative tech start-up.

“SoftBank is a firm believer that the world is undergoing a massive transformation in the way people work. WeWork is at the forefront of this revolution,” Son said in announcing the rescue package.

He said new companies always face challenges, but that doesn’t mean their vision is wrong.

WeWork serves a need in space-scarce Japanese cities, where office rentals are atrociously expensive and businesses need to keep up appearances. Working from home is frowned upon, and Japanese homes tend to be tiny and cluttered.

WeWork’s space in Japan’s glitzy Ginza district features sleek, modern décor and an entire floor of booths decked out with all the technology an ambitious start-up might want. It attracts a diverse and lively crowd of people, mostly young and casually dressed.

WeWork officials have said that they are making up for their expensive rental with fees for using the space for meetings and work but haven’t rented out booths.

ANALYST’S TAKE

“Despite years of successful deal-making, this deal, more than any other, will shape Masayoshi Son’s legacy as an investor,” said Chris Lane, analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.

“The IPO debacle around WeWork was a very public setback for his Vision Fund and has given ammunition to all his doubters to scream, ‘told you so.’ The tone of much of the media coverage is that SoftBank is throwing good money after bad,” he said in a report.

But Lane rated SoftBank as an “outperform,” noting that the deal ensures that WeWork is an affiliate, not a subsidiary of SoftBank. He feels SoftBank is getting a sizeable chunk of a company with a potential value of nearly US$36 billion in five years.

“We continue to believe that WeWork is fundamentally an attractive business with good long-term growth prospects,” he said.

SoftBank is facing plenty of problems with its investments.

In 2013, it became a majority owner in US carrier Sprint, whose financial results have improved but wobbled for years. Sprint is still awaiting regulatory approval for a merger with T Mobile.

Uber, whose share price has been sinking, is another problem investment. That is causing some investor doubts about SoftBank’s other ride-hailing investments like China’s Didi Chuxing and Southeast Asian ride hailing venture Grab, which haven’t yet gone public.

But some of Son’s most ambitious investments have paid off big time, such as Alibaba, a technology conglomerate in China, and Yahoo, which has scored success, especially in Japan. Son was also an early investor in solar energy, a stance that grew more popular after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

AP