Tag Archives: results

GM Posts Record $9.1 Billion Profit in 2011 – $7.6B on Common

GM’s latest results will no doubt add more fodder as the elite political ruling class continues a contentious debate about the proper roll of government in the weak U.S. economy in general, with the $80 billion auto bailout one of the focal points. One wag suggested that Democrats should run on “Bin Laden is Dead, GM is Alive.” Continue reading

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Ford China Sales Plummet 42% in January? GM off 8%

Ford China reported January sales of 30,976 vehicles – a – 42% freefall compared with 53,340 vehicles in the same period last year, and just under 50,000 vehicles in December of 2011. General Motors also posted a drop of 8% in January to 246,654 vehicles – GM’s second-best January ever in China where it is well established. The open question is whether this is the beginning of a prolonged downturn in the Chinese economy that some western economists are predicting as a result of Chinese government policies to slow down growth. If so, it will be an unwelcome development for both GM and Ford with their weak balance sheets, and loss making operations in Europe. Things will become clearer when other automakers report China sales. Continue reading

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Toyota, Honda, and Nissan Post Strong January Auto Sales

Toyota was Number Three overall in U.S. sales, and a mere 12,000 vehicles behind Number Two Ford Motor. Toyota truck production in the U.S. – the last to recover from last year’s natural disasters – still has not caught up with demand. When it does – and Toyota’s pickup truck plant in Texas has been working overtime since late last year – Toyota could easily surpass Ford in U.S. sales. Toyota’s luxury division, Lexus, at 12,274 vehicles easily outsold Ford’s moribund Lincoln at 5,221 sales. Lexus production too is still recovering from the Japan earthquake so Ford is facing challenges on two fronts. Continue reading

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Ford Motor U.S. Sales Increase 7% in January. Industry up 11%

The Ford F-Series, America’s top-selling vehicle for the past 30 years, posted January sales of 38,493 vehicles, representing an 8% gain amid signs that the full size pickup truck market in the U.S. is declining. Here preliminary numbers show that full size trucks now account for only 11% of the total industry. Continue reading

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GM January 2012 U.S. Sales Down 6%. Revival Stalled?

General Motors (NYSE: GM) today reported total sales of 167,962 vehicles in the United States in January, down 6% compared with January 2011. All four GM brands posted sales declines year-over-year led by Cadillac which was down 29%. Buick was off 23% and GMC declined 10%. Overall the auto industry was up 11.4% for the month, so GM is not keeping pace with the slow recovery of the auto business, a potentially worrisome development if it becomes a trend for U.S. taxpayers who still hold more than 27% of the company. Continue reading

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Honda at 800,000 Hybrids as Toyota Reaches 400,000 in Europe

In the U.S. alone Toyota has 1,000,000 Prius owners. Moreover Toyota has built a substantial environmental reputation as the global leader in hybrid vehicles with sales of Toyota and Lexus hybrids now well over 3,000,000 vehicles.

In spite of clear fuel economy benefits and high U.S. fuel prices, hybrids remain a tiny portion of the U.S. auto market – a little over 2% of sales because mainstream buyers refuse to pay a premium amounting to several thousand dollars over a comparable gasoline-fueled car. Plug in hybrids with expensive lithium ion battery packs will compound the problem. The Prius plug-in coming this year adds another $4,000 to the cost of the standard Prius hybrid. Continue reading

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U.S. New Auto Sales to Drop in January for Third Month

Retail transactions are thought to be the most accurate measurement of underlying consumer demand for new vehicles, so the New Year starts for automakers with mixed results. A weak recovery of some sorts is underway, but auto sales are nowhere near their pre Great Recession levels where the retail SAAR was routinely above 14 million units. Continue reading

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GM is World’s Largest Automaker Led by Chevrolet Sales

This makes GM the global sales leader once again. In 2011, the Volkswagen Group sold more than eight million vehicles for the first time in a twelve-month period, a total of 8.16 million vehicles (2010: 7.14; +14.3%). Natural disaster impeded Toyota has not reported final numbers yet but will move from first where it has been since 2008 to third. Continue reading

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General Motors Sets Sales Record in China. Ford Up too

Both General Motors and Ford Motor finished 2011 with strong performances in China, the world’s largest automarket for the past three years. GM and its joint ventures sold a record 2,547,171 vehicles up 8.3% from the previous high of 2,351,610 … Continue reading

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GM U.S. Sales Up 5% in December, +14% 2011. Share Increases

GM expects full-year 2012 light vehicle sales to be in a range of 13.5 million to 14.0 million units. In previous years, GM’s forecasts were based on total vehicle sales, which included medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, or about 300,000 additional units. Continue reading

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Toyota Projects 20% 2012 Sales Rise. Ichiban Again?

Both General Motors Company and Volkswagen Group, at more than 8 million vehicles each, will outsell Toyota’s 2011 sales tally of fewer than 8 million in a record global market of 75 million vehicles. Continue reading

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December New Vehicle Sales to End 2011 above 1 million

While new vehicle sales will be relatively strong, if the forecast holds, the auto sales volume means a seasonally adjusted annualized rate or SAAR of 11.2 million units nowhere near the 15-17 million rates of the middle of the last decade and the current rate in the EU, even with its Eurozone crisis. Continue reading

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Toyota Motor November Sales Up 7% as Inventories Build

Toyota Motor has now returned near the sales levels it had in Q1 before the tragic Japan earthquake disrupted production for months. With the auto industry monthly sales running at the highest rates since August of 2009 when taxpayer subsidies boosted sales under the Cash for Clunkers program, Toyota seems ideally positioned top be back to full strength by early next year. As it is now Toyota has about a 14% market share in the U.S. even though year-to-date total sales are off a whopping 20%, at 1,384,558 vehicles. Continue reading

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Ford Motor November U.S. Sales Up 13%

Overall, ytd Ford Motor has sold 1,938,666 vehicles, more than 500,000 vehicles ahead of Toyota Motor Sales. Continue reading

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GM U.S. Sales Up 7% in November – SAAR Booming

Increased sales of pickup trucks and full size vans dominated GM’s results. GM deliveries y-o-y showed a 34% increase in Chevrolet Silverado pickuo truck sales (34,251) and a 22% increase in GMC Sierra pickup sales at 11,971 Continue reading

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