SoftBank Group has sold a significant stake in Indian eyewear retailer Lenskart, offloading shares worth approximately Rs 2,888 crore in a block deal on Monday, August 24, 2026. The sale saw participation from 25 institutional investors, with European financial giant Societe Generale emerging as the largest buyer. This move is part of SoftBank's ongoing strategy to monetize its successful investments in the Indian technology sector.[business-standard+3]
SoftBank Trims Lenskart Holding
Japan-based SoftBank, through its affiliate SVF II Lightbulb (Cayman) Ltd, sold about 4.5 crore equity shares in Lenskart. This amounted to a 2.58 percent stake in the Gurugram-based company. The shares were sold at an average price of Rs 641.75 apiece.This transaction reduced SoftBank's holding in Lenskart from 9.86 percent to 7.28 percent.The deal size totaled Rs 2,887.87 crore, equivalent to roughly $300 million.[business-standard+6]
This marks SoftBank's second major partial exit from Lenskart since the company's listing. In June 2026, SoftBank had already sold a 3.25 percent stake in Lenskart for Rs 2,873 crore. That earlier sale involved 5.65 crore shares at an average price of Rs 508.55 per share.SoftBank also sold shares worth Rs 1,026 crore during Lenskart's initial public offering in November 2025.[business-standard+6]
Diverse Investor Interest
The block deal attracted a wide range of domestic and foreign institutional investors. Societe Generale led the buying, acquiring 1.07 crore shares, which represents a 0.62 percent stake. This purchase was valued at Rs 688.91 crore.Goldman Sachs also secured a substantial 84.3 lakh shares through two entities.Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund picked up 47.7 lakh shares.[business-standard+4]
Other notable foreign investors included Ghisallo Capital Management, Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas Financial Markets, Vanguard, Wasatch Global Investors, and Integrated Core Strategies Asia.Domestic buyers featured prominent names such as National Pension System Trust and mutual funds managed by SBI, Edelweiss, Nippon India, Franklin Templeton, HDFC, HSBC, ICICI Prudential, and Sundaram. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance also participated in the acquisition.[business-standard+3]
SoftBank's Profitable Exit Strategy
This latest share sale highlights SoftBank's strategy of capitalizing on its successful investments. The technology investor has now achieved an impressive 5.7 times return on its aggregate investment in Lenskart.SoftBank initially invested $275 million, or about Rs 1,950 crore, in Lenskart in December 2019. This investment valued the eyewear company at nearly $1.5 billion, or approximately Rs 10,350 crore, at the time.This initial funding was SoftBank Vision Fund II's first investment in India.[m+5]
SoftBank's gradual divestment from Lenskart reflects a broader trend among venture capital firms to provide liquidity to their limited partners and rebalance their portfolios. By selling stakes in publicly traded companies, investors can realize significant gains from their early-stage bets. This strategy allows SoftBank to free up capital for new investments while demonstrating the profitability of its past ventures.
Lenskart's Strong Market Performance
Lenskart, a prominent online-to-offline eyewear retailer, has shown robust performance in the market. Its shares have surged more than 69 percent from their listing price of Rs 390.On Monday, August 24, 2026, Lenskart Solutions shares closed slightly lower on the BSE after the transaction, ending the day 0.67 percent down at Rs 656.95.However, the stock has zoomed by about 50 percent on a year-to-date basis, indicating strong investor confidence.[m+3]
The company achieved its maiden full-year profitability in fiscal year 2025.This financial milestone, coupled with its expanding market footprint, has made Lenskart an attractive investment for institutional buyers. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority's Platinum Jasmine A 2018 Trust remains the largest public shareholder in Lenskart, holding a 9.77 percent stake.The continued interest from diverse institutional investors underscores Lenskart's solid market position and growth prospects in the competitive eyewear industry.[m+2]
