Volkswagen's offering of Porsche shares nears completion

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Volkswagen was nearing the finish line Wednesday as it readied the sale of shares in luxury carmaker Porsche ahead of an expected market listing that will rank among the largest such offerings in European history.

The German automaker estimates the deal could reap as much as 9.5 billion euros ($9.08 billion) that it can use for its push into software, services and electric and autonomous vehicles in line with the shifting focus of the global auto industry.

Volkswagen on Wednesday was expected to complete the process of lining up investors and determining the final share price, which requires a decision of its board of directors, before the listing Thursday.

The deal enables Volkswagen to tap into investor interest in Porsche, whose fat profit margins of 15% to 20% on vehicles like the 911 sports car and Cayenne SUV are far above the single-digit profits common to mass-market automobiles.