Softbank Corp

Internet retailer Buy.com Inc. agreed to sell a stake to a group led by Japan's Softbank Corp. for $165 million to help the closely held company expand in Europe and Japan. Softbank will hold about a 31% stake in Aliso Viejo-based Buy.com if it converts its preferred stock into common shares. Other investors include France's Vivendi, the world's largest water company, which is building media businesses, and media giant News Corp.

Toys R Us Inc. said Japan's Softbank Corp. has agreed to invest about $57 million for an undisclosed stake in the toy chain's Internet business and pay an additional $10 million for warrants. The warrants would allow it to buy 1.2 million Toys R Us shares at $13 each. Three other investment firms, Blackstone Group, KKR & Co. and Evercore Partners, also agreed to invest undisclosed amounts. Shares of Paramus, N.J.-based Toys R Us closed unchanged at $11.50 in NYSE trading.

Softbank Technology Ventures has provided a $20-million infusion for Aliso Viejo-based Buycomp.com, a computer retailer that sells only over the Internet, the companies announced Tuesday. The investment, which gives Softbank a 10.25% stake in closely held Buycomp.com, is the second in as many weeks in Orange County for Japan-based Softbank Corp. Last week, Softbank and Ingram Micro Inc. of Santa Ana agreed to a distribution partnership, with each company taking a $50-million stake in the other.

Japan's Softbank Corp., the world's largest computer magazine and book publisher, said it will buy a 35% stake in TrendMicro, a Cupertino-based anti-virus software firm, for $31 million. Softbank said payment will be made by Dec. 27. "In order to expand business, our group will strive to back up TrendMicro's Internet-related business," Softbank President Masayoshi Son said.

The Nasdaq Stock Market is expected today to announce plans with Tokyo-based Softbank Corp. to create a Japanese version of the electronic Nasdaq market. The market will focus on companies with sales in both the United States and Japan, including some U.S. companies that already trade on Nasdaq, sources said. American and Japanese broker-dealers both would trade shares on the new market, which is expected to start operating as early as next year.

The founder of one of the hottest online retailers has joined forces with one of the world's biggest Internet investment companies to form a venture capital firm in Dana Point that initially will invest $220 million in Internet start-up companies. ThinkTank.com is the product of Scott Blum, the founder of Aliso-based Buy.com Inc., and Japanese investment giant Softbank Corp. Blum chipped in $20 million, while Softbank has committed to providing $200 million. ThinkTank.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and Softbank Corp., Japan's largest distributor of personal computer software, on Tuesday officially kicked off their JSkyB satellite broadcasting venture. The new company, whose full name is Japan Sky Broadcasting Co., will begin full-scale broadcasts in Japan by April 1998. JSkyB, a 50-50 venture of the two companies, was first announced in June.

Sony Corp. has agreed in principle to acquire a 25% to 30% equity stake in a new satellite television joint venture now owned equally by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and the Japanese firm Softbank Corp., the Kyodo News Agency reported today, quoting "informed sources." An agreement will be signed in New York as early as next week, Kyodo said. The new firm, Japan Sky Broadcasting, plans to launch trial digital broadcasting services on 12 channels in April, expanding to 150 channels in April 1998.

Knight-Ridder Inc. and Softbank Corp. invested a combined $12.1 million in Zip2 Corp., a closely held producer of Internet-based yellow-page business listings. Palo Alto-based Zip2 said it will use the funds for product development, international expansion and other uses. The company is expanding its online services to include real estate listings, classified advertisements and arts and entertainment guides. Miami-based Knight-Ridder said it will have a seat on Zip2's board.