GM to Build Four Plants in China - Analyst Blog
April 22 2013 - 9:20AM
Zacks
General Motors Company (GM) plans to build four
new plants in China in order to boost annual production capacity to
5 million vehicles and triple its exports from Chinese plants by
2015. GM and its joint venture partners in China plan to invest $11
billion in the country by 2016 as part of their major expansion
program.
Last year, GM built two plants in China, increasing the production
capacity by 20%. With the addition of four new plants, the
production capacity will increase further by 30% and vehicle
exports are expected to go up to 300,000 units from 100,000 units
projected for this year. Currently, the company owns 13 assembly
plants in China.
Apart from GM, Ford Motor Co. (F) has embarked
upon an aggressive expansion plan in China that includes plans to
triple its lineup in China by introducing 15 models, including the
Kuga small sport utility vehicle by 2015. Currently, the company
sells seven models in the country.
In order to develop the new models, Ford will build new plants
raising its capital spending to about $6 billion annually by
mid-decade from $4.3 billion in 2011. In order to keep pace with
the expansion, Ford also plans to double its workforce by hiring
1,200 employees by 2015.
Ford anticipates global sales to expand by 50% to 8 million
vehicles by 2015 given the potential growth in Asia, mainly China
and India; and rising demand for small cars. The automaker
anticipates small cars to account for 55% of the total sales by
2020 compared with 48% presently. One third of the small car sales
are expected to come from Asia.
Overall passenger vehicle sales in China slowed down in March
compared to the first two months of the year, mainly due to the
stricter regulation imposed by the government on vehicle ownership
aimed at controlling increasing pollution and traffic congestion in
the country. According to the China Association of Automobile
Manufacturers (CAAM), passenger vehicle (cars, multipurpose and
sport- utility vehicles) sales rose 13.3% to 1.59 million units in
March compared with a 19.5% increase in Jan–Feb this year.
Passenger vehicle sales grew 17.2% to 4.42 million units in the
first quarter of the year, which is higher than 7.1% growth
registered in 2012. Thanks to the steep discounts that kept
passenger vehicle sales at a higher level in the world’s biggest
auto market. Total vehicle (passenger vehicles, buses and trucks)
sales grew 13.2% to 5.4 million units in the first three months of
the year compared with 4.3% to 19.3 million vehicles in 2012.
Considering the first quarter of the year, General Motor’s sales
increased 9.6% to 816,373 vehicles, overtaking Volkswagen
AG (VLKAY), led by burgeoning demand for its Buick
lineups. Volkswagen reported a 21% rise in sales to 770,000
vehicles in the quarter. In the same period, Ford’s sales went up
54% to 186,000 vehicles.
Japanese automakers continued to be the losers due to the political
conflict between Beijing and Tokyo over disputed islands in the
East China Sea. Sales of Japanese brands, including Toyota
Motor Corp. (TM), fell 17.8% during the month.
GM, a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock, posted a rise in profits to $0.8
billion or 48 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2012,
missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny, compared with $0.7
billion or 39 cents in the same quarter of 2011. The results
excluded a net gain from special items of $0.1 billion or 6 cents
in the 2012-quarter and a net loss from special items of $0.2
billion, or 11 cents in the 2011-quarter.
Revenues in the quarter scaled up 3.4% to $39.3 billion, which was
higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $38.6 billion. Unit
sales escalated 4.2% to 2.3 million vehicles. The automaker
occupied a market share of 11.5% during the quarter, down from
11.6% in the year-ago quarter.
GM expects to boost its top-line in 2013 with the help of new
vehicle launches. At the same time, the company believes cost
control measures will boost its bottom line growth. It expects 2013
capital expenditures to be at the 2012-level.
FORD MOTOR CO (F): Free Stock Analysis Report
GENERAL MOTORS (GM): Free Stock Analysis Report
TOYOTA MOTOR CP (TM): Free Stock Analysis Report
VOLKSWAGEN-ADR (VLKAY): Get Free Report
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