ABB stock weighs China carve-out talks for SoftBank robotics deal

ABB and SoftBank are exploring a carve-out of the Chinese part of their robotics transaction after Beijing blocked the acquisition in the country. The discussions could preserve a route for the wider deal, but the final structure remains unsettled.

Reuters reported on Saturday, November 7, citing people familiar with the matter, that the companies and their advisers were considering a separate entity for the China business with different ownership. SoftBank and ABB had agreed a transaction valued at 5.4 billion US dollars for ABB's robotics business, but China's Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review prohibited the acquisition of the business in China on November 4.

The proposed carve-out would separate the Chinese operations from the rest of the robotics business. Reuters said ABB was also considering alternatives, including finding another buyer for the unit. The business could potentially be valued at 2 billion to 3 billion US dollars, according to the report.

China Is Central To Robotics

China is ABB's biggest robotics market and accounts for about 30 percent of the division's business, Reuters reported. ABB operates about 30 local companies in China, employs around 15,000 people in nearly 130 cities and serves customers through online and offline channels in nearly 700 locations.

That footprint makes the Chinese approval a central condition for the transaction. A separate ownership structure could address regulatory concerns while allowing the companies to continue pursuing a broader deal, although the talks may not produce an agreement. Reuters reported that ABB declined to comment on the carve-out report.

For ABB, the regulatory setback changes the execution profile of the planned robotics divestment. A carve-out could preserve some transaction value, but it would also introduce additional structural complexity and potentially alter the scope of the business being sold. A failed transaction or a prolonged approval process could leave ABB with other strategic options, including a sale to another buyer or a different separation route.

ABB stock traded at 76.12 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 10:39 CET on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

The Swiss Market Index provides the broader market backdrop for Swiss-listed companies.

Investors will focus next on whether ABB and SoftBank can agree on a structure that satisfies Chinese regulators and preserves the economic rationale of the robotics transaction. More news and analyses on ABB stock.