Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM, GMC, Toyota, Earnings/Financials
Toyota Financial Services recently leaped over GMAC Financial services to take the lead as the biggest U.S. auto lender in terms of loan and lease contract volume. The study by AutoCount (a unit of the Experian Automotive company) estimates that Toyota captured 6.35% of the market from January through June, while GMAC had 6.2% for a close second place. Rounding out the top five were Chase Auto Finance, American Honda Finance, and Ford Credit (in that order).
As GMAC has made major cutbacks in leasing over the summer, many industry experts expect Toyota to hold its lead through the end of the year. A spokesperson from GMAC was quick to point out that the study did not include two wholly owned subsidiaries: Nuvel Credit and National Auto Finance. When those two companies are included, GMAC’s share increases to 6.72 percent — effectively placing them at the top again. While the automakers battle for the title position, the independent banks are the ones to watch. They’ve been steadily increasing their lending share as the Detroit 3 struggle with the rising costs of funds and declining credit ratings.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req’d]
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Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, LLC., Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials
No matter how you slice it, a proposed $25 billion loan from the Feds is a bailout, and that’s exactly what Detroit’s Big Three automakers are after, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Lobbyists for General Motors, Chrysler and Ford have met with White House officials, Rep. John Dingell and a smattering of Michigan Democrats to discuss the loan, with plans to unveil the proposal after Labor Day.
The plan includes lending $25 billion to automakers in its first year at an interest rate of 4.5 percent (about one-third of what the companies are currently paying), with the government having the option to defer any payment for up to five years.
Details are scarce, and naturally, GM, Ford and Chrysler reps aren’t saying much, but if the automakers and the Feds are serious, expect more information to leak out before the proposal is officially announced.
[Source: WSJ, Photo by Tracy O | CC2.0]
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Filed under: Ford, Earnings/Financials
In an effort to secure more capital and reduce debt, Ford plans to sell $500m in new stock. Ford will use the cash infusion to buy bonds from Ford Motor Credit, which has been struggling with the slow economy and nation-wide credit crunch. Goldman Sachs is handling the stock sale, and Ford has given no timetable for when the stocks will enter the market. Ford has already exchanged debt for equity to the tune of $927m in the past year. With shares of Ford stock at under $5 per share right now, anybody can own a share of the Blue Oval for the price of a value meal.
[Source: Automotive News (subs req’d)]
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