Who Owns Mercedes-Benz Corporation?
Giancarlo Perlas December 16, 2023One of the most frequently asked questions out there is “Who owns Mercedes-Benz?” A straightforward answer to that is Mercedes-Benz Group AG. However, within the name are a multitude of entities with their respective stakes within the company.
Who Owns Mercedes-Benz?
Mercedes-Benz Group AG is a publicly traded corporation, so both institutional and retail shareholders actually own it. According to its latest disclosure, the company has 3.07 billion euros worth of capital stocks and around 1.07 billion shares.
The BAIC Group based in China is the largest individual shareholder of Mercedes-Benz, possessing 9.98% of the company’s voting rights. The other notable owners of the corporation include Chinese businessman Li Shufu via Tenaciou3 Prospect Investment Ltd. with 9.69% holdings and the Kuwait Investment Authority with 5.57%. The remaining 45.51% slice is held by other institutional investors while retail investors control 29.25%.
Under the umbrella of the Mercedes-Benz Group are several brands catering to the diverse demands of the global market, including:
- Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for producing and distributing Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicles, Mercedes-AMG high-performance autos, Mercedes-Maybach ultra-luxury cars and SUVs, and smart compact units.
- Mercedes-Benz Vans that handles the production and distribution of vans.
- Mercedes-Benz Mobility consisted of Mercedes-Benz Bank and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.
- Mercedes me offering an app for the personal assistance of Mercedes-Benz users.
- Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains (HPP), which is a known maker of power units for racing.
- Athlon which is a mobility solutions provider.
Who First Owned Mercedes-Benz?
Within the Mercedes-Benz name is also a rich tapestry of history. It traces back from the invention of the first gasoline-powered automobile up to the multiple marques defining the three-pointed star logo.
The history of the popular automaker dates back to May 1, 1924, when Benz & Cie. (founded by Carl Benz) and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (established by Gottlieb Daimler together with Wilhelm Maybach) inked an Agreement of Mutual Interest. The merger led to the creation of Daimler-Benz AG in 1926 and it was settled by the parties that all of their products will be called Mercedes-Benz going forward.
Forty years later, Maybach Mercedes-Benz Motorenbau GmbH was formed from the merger of Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH and Mercedes-Benz Motorenbau Friedrichshafen GmbH. Daimler-Benz retained partial ownership of the company, which was once again rechristened into Motoren und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH (MTU Friedrichshafen) in 1969. By 1995, Daimler-Benz took MTU Friedrichshafen as subsidiary.
The next stop was the formation of DaimlerChrysler AG in 1998 following the merger of Daimler-Benz and US-based Chrysler Corporation. Former Daimler CEO Jürgen E. Schrempp referred to the union as a “marriage made in heaven” and it paved the way for technology sharing from both automakers.
Contrary to expectations, this phase was marred by controversies, which eventually resulted in the separation of Daimler and Chrysler. The latter then filed for bankruptcy not long after.
The German vehicle producer went back to its roots under Daimler AG until CEO Ola Källenius rebranded the corporation to Mercedes-Benz Group in 2022. The rebranding was coupled with a massive restructuring that saw the separation of Daimler Trucks.
