Rakuten's satellite bet and first profit in seven years drive the story
Government grant for satellite network Japan will give Rakuten up to 148 billion yen to build a domestic satellite communications network, reducing reliance on foreign services like Starlink. This is a huge cash injection that lowers the cost and risk of a new growth business, supporting the share price.
This is a major new capital boost that directly improves Rakuten's financial position and future prospects.
Joint venture with AST SpaceMobile Rakuten is forming a joint venture with AST SpaceMobile to offer satellite-powered mobile service in Japan, with coverage targeted for next year. This opens a new revenue stream and strengthens Rakuten Mobile's offering, which the market views as a positive growth driver.
The JV is a concrete new business expansion that could add subscribers and revenue, directly impacting Rakuten's value.
First operating profit in seven years Rakuten reported a 50.4 billion yen operating profit for the June 2026 interim period, its first in seven years, as internet shopping and financial services grew strongly and mobile losses narrowed. This shows the core business is turning around, a key positive for the stock.
Profitability is the most fundamental driver of share price, and this milestone signals a major improvement in Rakuten's financial health.
Mobile service disruptions after Kumamoto earthquake Rakuten Mobile's services were disrupted in Kumamoto after a powerful earthquake, with no timeline for restoration. While temporary, this highlights network vulnerability and could hurt customer trust and add costs, a modest negative for the stock.
This is a new operational setback that could affect Rakuten Mobile's reputation and near-term performance.