In 2024, BMW remains one of the most prominent car manufacturers worldwide, known for its luxury and performance-driven vehicles and, sometimes, even flying cars (yes, you read that right.) That said, articles published earlier this year have estimated that BMW will make less money in 2024, with the issue being production costs.

As investors consider BMW’s financial standing, an important metric to examine is its enterprise value (EV). So, what exactly is enterprise value, and how does it apply to a company like BMW?

What Is Enterprise Value (EV)?

Enterprise value is a comprehensive measure of a company’s total value, often used by investors to evaluate the full cost of acquiring a business. Unlike market capitalization, which only accounts for the value of a company’s outstanding shares, enterprise value takes into account additional financial factors, such as debt and cash reserves. Essentially, EV reflects what an investor would have to pay to acquire the entire company, including its obligations and cash on hand. It’s calculated as:

Enterprise Value = Market Cap + Total Debt – Cash and Cash Equivalents

This gives a clearer view of BMW’s value than market cap alone since BMW, as a global company with high-value assets and debt, has a more complex financial structure.

BMW’s Market Cap Vs. Enterprise Value

For public companies like BMW, the market cap represents the value of all outstanding shares of stock. However, this figure alone doesn’t account for the company’s debt or cash, which are critical in understanding its overall financial health and potential acquisition cost.

In BMW’s case, its enterprise value in 2024 will likely exceed its market cap because BMW has substantial assets and debts due to its global operations, research investments, and, as mentioned, production costs. BMW’s earnings before financial result (EBIT) fell 28.8% earlier this year, impacted by higher production costs. Those costs rose in Q2 of 2023, and seemed to carry over all the way into 2024’s first quarter. ‘Production costs,’ in this sense, includes more spent on research and development and manufacturing – to say nothing of the brand spending more on personnel.

The German automaker is also investing in a factory in Hungary that will support the arrival of a new fleet of electric vehicles, namely the iX3, which will go into production in 2025. Five new electric battery plants scattered over the world are also putting a dent into production costs.

The enterprise value gives a fuller picture, revealing BMW’s true financial standing when factors like debt financing or liquidity are included.

BMW’s Enterprise Value In 2024

As of 2024, BMW’s enterprise value is estimated to be around $130 billion. This value incorporates its market cap (typically around $45 billion in US Dollars) and adjustments for cash reserves and outstanding debt.

It’s worth noting that BMW’s enterprise value can fluctuate as its debt levels change or as the company adjusts its cash reserves, such as for reinvestment in electric vehicle (EV) technology or expansions in production capacity. For example, BMW’s enterprise value hit a 5-year low in December 2020, where it was estimated to be about $140.2B. This is right after peaking just a year prior in 2019, hitting $148.6B.

Why Enterprise Value Matters For Investors

For investors, BMW’s enterprise value provides insights into the company’s overall economic value and what it might cost to acquire it, making it a key metric for private equity firms, potential acquirers, or strategic investors. Additionally, comparing enterprise value to earnings or revenue (such as the EV/EBITDA ratio) helps investors assess BMW’s profitability relative to its total valuation.

Enterprise value gives a holistic view of BMW’s worth, making it an essential figure for understanding the company’s true market position in 2024 and beyond.