Mercedes-Benz sells Nissan stake for $325 million
Mercedes-Benz has sold its entire 3.8% stake in Nissan Motor for 47.83 billion yen ($324.65 million), according to a source with direct knowledge of the deal. The sale was conducted through the German automaker’s pension trust, which had held the shares since 2016.
Nissan shares tumbled more than 6% on Tuesday, marking their sharpest one-day drop since July, as investors questioned the automaker’s turnaround prospects amid falling sales in the U.S. and China and mounting tariff pressures. Nissan reported a $535 million quarterly loss in June, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Mercedes-Benz sold the shares at 341.3 yen each, a 5.98% discount to Monday’s close. Despite the markdown, demand exceeded supply, with the top ten investors in the placement receiving about 70% of the allocation.
Mercedes-Benz described the divestment as part of a portfolio clean-up, saying the Nissan stake was “not of strategic importance.”
The move comes as Nissan adjusts its decades-long partnership with top shareholder Renault. The French automaker owns 35.7% of Nissan but recently wrote down its stake by $11 billion. Analysts suggest Renault will likely seek to further reduce its holding, though contractual restrictions limit its ability to sell shares on the open market.
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