VW board to decide on long-anticipated listing of Porsche

Berlin — Porsche’s potential stock market listing is central to funding Volkswagen’s electrification plans, the carmaker’s CFO said on Monday ahead of a board meeting to discuss whether the listing will go ahead.

Volkswagen’s management and supervisory boards will meet later on Monday to discuss whether the long-anticipated listing of Porsche should take place in late September or early October.

Should Volkswagen state its intention to float, a roughly four-week period would follow for buyers to express interest in the stock, during which the carmaker could still pull the listing if it does not encounter sufficient interest.

A flotation would test the appeal of Europe’s largest automaker when the valuations of the continent’s biggest companies have shrunk as markets grapple with the instability of war and record energy costs.

Some investors have questioned the timing of the move, reasoning that market jitters could mean far lower proceeds than hoped and pointing to outstanding questions about how Oliver Blume will govern both Porsche and Volkswagen.

Arno Antlitz, appointed VW COO alongside his role as CFO on September 1 when Blume became CEO, said in an internal Volkswagen interview that preparing the listing was a key part of his role in recent months.

“This is a key element for the group, especially because the possible proceeds would give us more flexibility to further accelerate the transformation,” Antlitz said in the interview.

It is not clear if VW will make a final decision on Monday, with Porsche saying in a statement on Saturday that the launch was still subject to further board discussions and market developments, however two sources familiar with the IPO said they did not expect a decision to take long.

A decision will also be made on whether Volkswagen approves of the sale of 25% plus one share of ordinary shares in Porsche to Porsche, as laid out in a framework agreement by the two parties in February.

Reuters