Buoyed by its investments in technology firms around the world, SoftBank Group Corp. has reported a record annual operating profit in line with analyst estimates.

Profit for the year ended March rose to ¥1.3 trillion ($11.87 billion), from ¥1 trillion a year ago, SoftBank said.

Steered by founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, the group has become a top global technology investor as it looks to create a set of leading companies powered by interconnected devices and artificial intelligence.