Volkswagen Ordered to Pay €300,000 to Dismissed Manager as Losses, Analyst Notes and a Paused Golf Project Pile Up
Published on 11/09/2026 at 15:41 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Volkswagen's week ended in the courtroom as much as on the trading floor. On Friday, the Braunschweig labour court ordered the group to pay a dismissed manager roughly €300,000 in back salary covering about a year, according to media reports. The dismissal itself was upheld as legally effective, and Volkswagen said it would have the ruling reviewed by the regional labour court.
The same day brought a second legal development. In a separate case at the Braunschweig regional court, a defendant in the diesel fraud trial was taken into custody after appearing on the second day of proceedings. The trial involves three former VW executives, and the detention was intended to secure the conduct of the case, media reports said; the defendant has lodged a complaint. The preference share came under pressure on Friday, with media coverage linking the move to the custody order in the newly opened diesel trial.
A 5.8 Billion Euro Hole and a 6.4 Billion Euro Write-Down
The legal headlines landed on top of a grim set of quarterly figures. On 29 October, Volkswagen reported a group loss of around €5.8 billion for the third quarter of 2026, or €5.82 billion after tax. Special items weighed heavily, including a write-down of about €6.4 billion on the Porsche brand value. The group also cited weaker demand in China and US tariffs as burdens. Across the first nine months of 2026, special effects totalled €8.7 billion. For the full year, Volkswagen expects an operating return on sales of up to 1%.
Analysts moved quickly. JPMorgan cut its price target for the preference share to €85 on 29 October while keeping its "Neutral" rating. Bernstein then resumed coverage on Thursday with a "Market-Perform" rating and an €80 target; analyst Harry Martin pointed to the extensive restructuring under way as well as significant product and manufacturing investment.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Volkswagen?
ID. Golf Work Halted in Wolfsburg
On the product side, Volkswagen has paused development work on the ninth-generation Golf — the electric ID. Golf — according to media reports. Brand chief Thomas Schäfer said on 30 October that the project had been suspended and should be resumed as soon as possible. The dpa-AFX agency reported the same day that the preparatory work had been halted at the main Wolfsburg plant.
Not every initiative has stalled. On 26 October, Volkswagen and NXP Semiconductors agreed a strategic semiconductor partnership, with NXP microcontrollers set to support the group's future software-defined vehicle architecture. The first vehicle using the technology is planned for 2027.
Cost reduction is also on the agenda for the upcoming collective bargaining round with IG Metall. Talks are scheduled to open on 24 November 2026 in Emden and resume on 15 December 2026 in Zwickau.
Volkswagen at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
Friday's share price decline of 2.5% came in a market already shaken by a global selloff in technology stocks, which Reuters blamed for the weak German session without naming a Volkswagen-specific trigger. Investors now have until 11 November 2026, when the UBS European Conference 2026 takes place in London, for the next confirmed company date.
Ad
Volkswagen Stock: New Analysis - 9 November
Fresh Volkswagen information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
