Backed by Alibaba stake, SoftBank borrows $8 bn from at least 10 lenders

SoftBank Group Corp borrowed about $8 billion through a margin loan backed by its Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. stake as the Japanese technology giant aims to bolster its financial flexibility, according to people familiar with the matter.

The loan, guaranteed only by the Alibaba holding, won’t be reflected in the group’s debt and may help shield against a potential ratings downgrade, the people said, declining to be identified as the discussions are confidential. The new financing may also remove an obstacle to the listing of its domestic telecommunications unit SoftBank Corp., which had been used as collateral for its earlier