Major US banks face rising bad loans. SoftBank's involvement in failed social media app IRL. Soccer clubs invest in stadium renovations to create entertainment districts. Financing challenges for smaller teams.
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Quick takeaways
Major US banks are expected to report a significant increase in bad loans, which will impact their fourth-quarter earnings.
Softbank's investment in a failed social media app raises questions about their due diligence process.
Deep dives
Rise in Bad Loans Impacting US Banks
Major US banks including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup are expected to report a significant increase in non-performing loans, reaching at least $24 billion in the fourth quarter of 2023. These loans are tied to borrowers who have not made payments for the past three months. Analysts predict that this surge in bad debt will negatively impact the fourth-quarter earnings of these banks.
Legal Battle Raises Concerns about Softbank's Due Diligence
Softbank is currently involved in a heated legal battle over its investment in a failed social media app called IRL. The app allegedly had fake users, leading to accusations of fraud against the app's founders. Softbank and other investors launched an investigation and claimed that 95% of the app's users were actually bots. The founders have countersued, alleging that Softbank prematurely shut down the app to protect their own reputation and gain control of the remaining cash in the business. This controversy raises questions about Softbank's due diligence process before investing in companies.
European Stadium Renovations Spark an Arms Race
Top soccer clubs in Europe are investing heavily in stadium renovations, in part due to a slowdown in TV rights revenue and the influence of US investors with a focus on year-round entertainment. Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium is undergoing a significant renovation, featuring a pitch that can split into sections and disappear underground, allowing for non-football events like concerts. These renovations aim to create a more profitable venue with additional revenue streams such as restaurants, bars, and retail outlets. Club owners hope that these upgrades will attract fans and visitors even when games aren't taking place, helping to generate more revenue.
A pile up of bad debt threatens to sour investors’ growing optimism about the prospects for the US’s largest banks, and European football clubs are pouring money into transforming stadiums. Plus, the FT’s Joe Miller explains why another bad bet by SoftBank could be trouble for the Japanese group.
The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Monica Lopez. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.