softbank group corp said wednesday that it planned to settle some of the contracts it used to get cash from lenders with shares of alibaba group holding ltd the japanese tech and investment company said its stake in alibaba is expected to fall to 146 after the physical settlement from 237 as of endjune and that alibaba is expected to cease to be an equity method associate of the company softbank said it will continue to maintain a good relationship with alibaba softbank expects about 46 trillion yen 3403 billion contribution to pretax income for the quarter ending sept 30 as a result of the physical settlement it said softbank used what it calls prepaid forward contracts to get cash upfront from its lenders with a promise to settle the contract later either with cash or with alibaba shares softbank said it doesnt expect the physical settlement to result in additional sales of alibaba shares in the market