Ferrari dreams of electric cars, could be nightmare for investors


Ferrari NV’s plan to go green could be costly for investors in the short term, according to Goldman Sachs Inc. The broker flipped its recommendation on the supercar maker to sell from buy Monday, citing the firm’s efforts to launch a battery-powered vehicle by 2025, alongside weaker volume expectations for existing models.
“While we would view any Ferrari push to be at the forefront of evolving technologies positively in the long-term, for investors today, the transition brings uncertainty around potential future capital expenditure requirements, and their implications for earnings and free cash flow," analysts including George Galliers wrote in a note Monday.
Also check these Cars
Also Read : Ferrari launches its first ever high-performance-fabric fashion collection
Goldman lifted its estimate for Ferrari’s capital spending by 42 million euros ($51 million) a year on average through 2030. Still, the broker sees the EV push as necessary for future growth. “While the internal combustion engine and chassis and suspension systems have been core automotive technologies in the past, it is clear that a very different set of technologies will be core technologies in the future," the bank wrote.
(Also watch: Rare Ferrari F40 supercar destroyed after catching fire in Japan)
The appointment of Benedetto Vigna from chipmaker STMicroelectronics NV as chief executive officer further demonstrates the company’s commitment to the technology transition, Goldman said. Ferrari shares slipped as much as 2.9% to 168.90 euros on Monday, taking their year-to-date decline to about 10%.
Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.