SoftBank Group Corp. is conducting preliminary studies on a potential acquisition of Allied Universal, the largest security services company in the United States, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. This potential transaction could value Allied Universal's equity at up to $18 billion, with an additional approximately $12 billion in publicly traded debt, bringing the total transaction value close to $30 billion. Following the news, SoftBank's ADRs plummeted nearly 10% in a single day.

Sources indicated that SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son views the security services business as a critical testing ground for the robotics technologies developed by his portfolio companies, aiming to advance his AI robotics strategy. Allied Universal itself is also exploring robotics, including autonomous patrol and surveillance robots.