ABB stock faces China carve-out talks over robotics deal

ABB and SoftBank are exploring a possible carve-out of the Chinese part of their robotics transaction after Beijing blocked the acquisition in China. The development adds a new structural option to a deal already facing regulatory uncertainty.

SoftBank said on November 6 that it had received notification on November 4 from China's Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review prohibiting the acquisition of ABB's robotics business in China. The company said it remained in close dialogue with ABB and that both sides were working constructively on the transaction. The statement is available from SoftBank.

China carve-out could reshape deal

Reuters reported on November 9 that the companies and their advisers were studying a separate entity for the China business with different ownership. The report said ABB was also considering alternatives, including another buyer, while noting that the talks could fail. The report was published by DealStreetAsia.

China is ABB's biggest robotics market and represents about 30 percent of its robotics business, according to the Reuters report. The proposed transaction has an enterprise value of 5.4 billion US dollars, while the Chinese operation could potentially be valued at 2 billion to 3 billion US dollars, the report said.

ABB stock traded at 74.75 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 18:00 CET on Monday, November 9, 2026.

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