Who Owns Ferrari? The Full Story Behind the Prancing Horse

The Short Answer

Ferrari is privately held. The ownership sits with Exor N.V., a Dutch holding company controlled by the Agnelli family. Piero Ferrari, the son of Enzo, still carries a stake too. Guys, explore more in Guides And Explainers and ferrari who owns the company.

The Agnelli Family Empire

The Agnelli name is woven into Italy's industrial fabric. They built FIAT from a tiny Turin workshop into a manufacturing giant. The connection to Ferrari is not accidental. It is strategic, deeply personal, and decades old.

Exor sits at the center of this web. Think of it as the family's financial command center. Through Exor, the Agnellis control multiple businesses beyond just cars.

Exor N.V.: The Holding Company

Exor is headquartered in the Netherlands for tax and structural reasons, but its roots are pure Italian. The company is led by John Elkann, a member of the Agnelli family. Elkann serves as Chairman.

Exor does not just own Ferrari. It also has major stakes in other big names. These include Stellantis and The Economist. So when you ask who owns Ferrari, you are really asking who controls Exor.

The Agnelli Family Tree

The dynasty traces back to Giovanni Agnelli. He co-founded FIAT in 1899. The family kept a tight grip on decision-making for generations.

Today, the line of control runs through several key figures:

- Giovanni Agnelli (the current heir, often called "John") - Lapo Elkann (the entrepreneur and visionary) - Edoardo Agnelli and others in the extended clan

The family uses a mix of direct shares and voting rights to maintain dominance. This keeps the control structure tight.

Piero Ferrari: The Silent Partner

Piero Ferrari is the other half of the story. He is the second son of Enzo Ferrari. His mother was Laura Garello, not Enzo's first wife.

Piero holds a 10% stake in Ferrari N.V. The rest belongs to Exor and public trading entities. He stays out of the spotlight but keeps a quiet claim on the brand.

He has worked within the company for years. Piero focused on engineering and business development. His role is less visible but still meaningful.

Public vs. Private: How Ferrari Trades Now

Ferrari N.V. trades on the New York Stock Exchange. The ticker symbol is RACE. This listing makes the stock available to public investors.

However, the trading shares represent a small portion of total ownership. The controlling voting shares sit firmly in Exor's hands. This is a dual-class structure. It is common in European luxury brands.

What does this mean for you? Public investors can buy stock. But they cannot dictate strategy. The Agnelli family still calls the shots.

Why Ferrari Chose to Go Public

Going public in 2015 raised billions for the company. The money funded expansion. It helped build new factories and support the launch of hybrid models.

The IPO was a move to gain capital without losing control. Ferrari protected its independence. It used Wall Street money without becoming a Wall Street company.

The History of Ownership: From Enzo to Today

Enzo Ferrari founded the company in 1939. He originally managed Auto Avio Costruzioni. That name later changed to Ferrari S.p.A.

Over the decades, the ownership shifted several times. FIAT acquired a significant stake in the 1960s. By the 1980s, the Agnelli family was deeply embedded.

When Enzo died in 1988, his will left ownership partly to Piero. The rest went to FIAT and other internal stakeholders. The structure has evolved since then, but the core family control remains.

Key Ownership Milestones

- 1969: FIAT buys 50% of Ferrari. - 1988: Enzo passes away. Ownership redistributes among heirs and partners. - 2015: Ferrari N.V. launches an IPO on Wall Street. - 2023: Exor continues to hold the majority of controlling shares.

What This Means for Ferrari's Future

The Agnelli family has shown no signs of selling. They treat Ferrari not just as an asset, but as a symbol. The Prancing Horse carries prestige that goes beyond financial spreadsheets.

Future decisions on electrification, racing programs, and road cars will come from Exor's board. The family's vision guides the brand.

Will public investors ever get a controlling stake? That is highly unlikely. The dual-class share structure makes a hostile takeover nearly impossible.