Chip design house Arm’s application for an initial public offering in the US has rekindled speculation about a long-rumoured management buyout of parent SoftBank Group, as the move would vastly expand the Japanese technology group’s fundraising power.
The UK-based firm, which holds a commanding share of the global chip design market, announced the filing with regulators on Saturday. A successful listing would make the company a major fundraising avenue for SoftBank to replace its dwindling stake in Alibaba Group Holding.