Autoblog

Fiat pondering swallowing rest of Chrysler, US IPO

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions, Fiat

At the moment, Fiat is in court with the United Auto Workers, waiting for the justice system to provide some guidance on a fair price for 41.5-percent of Chrysler it doesn't own. Fiat owns 58.5 percent of the company and wishes to buy the remainder, which is owned by the union's VEBA retiree trust, but the Italian company and the UAW are on different sides of the galaxy when it comes to assigning a fair price to that outstanding stake.

Naturally, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is considering his options. A new report in the The Wall Street Journal says one of the scenarios being considered now is - depending on the outcome of the court case - to purchase the 41.5-percent stake and then issue an IPO to recoup some of the cost. About two months ago, Marchionne put the odds of an IPO for a wholly combined Fiat/Chrysler at 50 percent. Even with the WSJ report, it's not clear if those odds have changed.

The current company structure leaves a lot of options as to how a potential IPO could be issued, but it's said that Marchionne is against it, preferring "to be one company," under Fiat, indivisible. If Fiat is finally able to purchase all of the Pentastar, it would get access to Chrysler's war chest, pegged at $11.9 billion at the end of Q3 in 2012, and that money can't come soon enough for a brand taking a beating in Europe and delaying product over cash concerns.

Fiat pondering swallowing rest of Chrysler, US IPO originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UAW urging Chrysler to sell shares to investors

Zach Bowman — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, UAW/Unions, Fiat

The United Auto Workers union is pushing Chrysler to sell 16.6 percent of its stock to investors in an attempt to establish the value of the shares. The UAW is currently locked in a lawsuit with Chrysler parent company Fiat over how much the Italian automaker should pay to buy shares from the trust fund. Last year, Fiat told the trust it intended to exercise its right to purchase 3.3 percent of the union's shares at issue. But the union contended the 54,154 shares were worth closer to $381 million instead of the $155 million Fiat offered.

Currently, the UAW owns 41.5 percent of Chrysler while Fiat holds 58.5 percent of the company. Currently, it's unclear whether the UAW could force Chrysler to put the shares on the open market. Doing so would be the first step toward a much-anticipated initial public offering. Chrysler has said it will comply with its shareholders agreement, and Fiat has echoed that tune. According to The Detroit Free Press, the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust has declined to comment on the situation.

UAW urging Chrysler to sell shares to investors originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiat buys another 16 percent stake in Chrysler, ups total to 46 percent

Zach Bowman — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

Automotive News is reporting that Fiat has paid $1.27 billion for an additional slice of Chrysler. The news follows a move by the Italian automaker last week that saw its total ownership jump to 30 percent. The newest acquisition increases that total to 46 percent, and analysts are predicting that the Pentastar's latest partner may make the jump for a majority stake sometime soon. Fiat's CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has already been quoted as saying that his company would like to eventually have control of the smallest of the Big Three. If that happens, it's assumed that Marchionne would immediately push for an IPO.

The last five percent of the puzzle hinges largely on the effective launch of a new 40-mpg vehicle slated to be unveiled later this year. Chrysler is also said to be on track to complete its debt refinancing by the end of the second quarter, which puts the American manufacturer closer to going public than it has been since bankruptcy.

Previously, the latest swell in Fiat ownership had come after the automaker met a number of goals, including ensuring that at least 90 percent of its South American dealerships sold a Chrysler product.

[Sources: The Detroit News, Automotive News - sub. req.]

Fiat buys another 16 percent stake in Chrysler, ups total to 46 percent originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fiat to increase Chrysler stake to 51% ahead of IPO?

Zach Bowman — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

According to Automotive News, Fiat may be looking to increase its stake in Chrysler from 20 percent to 51 percent before the Pentastar goes public. If true, that would mean that Fiat intends to repay Chrysler's federal loans before their 2013 due date. Doing so would allow the Italian automaker to sink its teeth into its American property by an additional 16 percent.

Sergio Marchionne, who serves as the CEO of both Fiat and Chrysler, said that while he doesn't know for certain whether he would move to have Fiat take over a larger portion of Chrysler, it is a possibility. The executive said that such a move would provide plenty of benefits for both automakers.

Fiat itself has been undergoing fairly substantial changes outside of its tie-up with Chrysler. The company just split into two different operations, with its automotive efforts flying under one banner and its industrial work sailing under another.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Fiat to increase Chrysler stake to 51% ahead of IPO? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rattner: GM and Chrysler will be "gushing profits"

David Kiley — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM, Earnings/Financials

General Motors and Chrysler LLC will lead automakers to "gushing profits" when annual U.S. sales reach 15 million vehicles, said Steven Rattner, the former head of the federal government's auto task force, on Bloomberg TV last Friday.

"This industry has been restructured to make money," Rattner said to Bloomberg. At 15 million vehicles a year, "they will be gushing profits." That 15 million level is expected to be reached at mid-decade, according to predictions by companies like Toyota and GM.

A pace of 15 million vehicles is needed "simply to accommodate new drivers and the aging of the fleet," Rattner said. "It will happen, it's only a question of when."

Rattner recently published a book about his experience titled: Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry.

Rattner also this month had to agreed to a ban from the securities industry as a result of a Federal investigation into charges he directed over $1 million in illegal kickbacks to New York State pension fund officials while he was a partner in Quadrangle Group, the post he had before being recruited by the White House.

Rattner, 58, led President Barack Obama's auto task force from February 2009 until July last year, after GM emerged from a bankruptcy backed by $50 billion in government aid.

General Motors is expected to launch its initial-public offering of stock as early as next month, while Chrysler is expected to to take itself public some time next year.

[Image: aresauburn[TM] | CC 2.0]

Rattner: GM and Chrysler will be "gushing profits" originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Fed reduces auto bailout loss forecast to $17B

Chris Shunk — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM, Earnings/Financials

The federal government spent roughly $86 billion in taxpayer money to bail out the auto industry. That's a lot of Monopoly money, folks, and when the industry we know and love was at its weakest point, early projections suggested that that the U.S. government and American taxpayers would never see $30 billion of that money. But as the economy slowly crawls back to life and cars and trucks are beginning to move with greater regularity, those forecasts are being adjusted downward.

A few months ago the Treasury Department proclaimed that the industry could, if everything fell just so, lose only $8 billion by the time the dust settles. We're now in October, and according to The Detroit News, the DoT is settling on a loss that looks a lot like $17 billion. That figure was revised downward from $24.3 billion due to increased optimism that the bailout of Ally Bank, the Cerberus-owned finance arm for both General Motors and Chrysler, wasn't going to be as big of a cash drain as was originally expected.

The revised auto industry loss comes out of a 200-page report that details the overall plight of the $700 billion ($475 billion has been spent to date) Troubled Asset Relief Program. The report states that the U.S. government stands to lose a grand total of $29 billion of the $475 billion spent. That $29 billion number is definitely tentative, though, because a lot of the numbers are heavily dependent on the price of stocks at the time the federal government decides to sell.

For example, at the current price of AIG shares, the government would actually book a profit of $21.9 billion. The bank bailouts are said to have produced another $16 billion in profits, while the mortgage securities buys are currently underwater to the tune of $46 billion. The $29 billion figure could go further up or down based upon the price of the initial public offerings at General Motors and Chrysler. The government put $43 billion into The General in exchange for 60.8 percent of the company's stock, and another $12 billion for a 10 percent stake in Chrysler. GM's IPO is expected to open next month, though the feds aren't expected to sell off all of its shares in the first offering. Industry watchers suggest that Chrysler's IPO could happen in 2011.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Mario Tama/Getty]

Report: Fed reduces auto bailout loss forecast to $17B originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Marchionne predicts Chrysler IPO in second half of 2011

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

The timeline for Chrysler's IPO is gradually coming into focus. Four months ago Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said he expected to Chrysler's offering to happen "probably" in 2011. Now he's narrowed that down to becoming "a second-part-of-the-year event."

The timing makes all kinds of sense: not only does Marchionne not expect a profit this year, the results of Fiat's integration with Chrysler won't begin to bear fruit until the middle of next year, after the 500 has gone on sale and had a few months to find its feet. By then, the company might also have some better news to report about 2011's finances. Frankly, we wouldn't be surprised if it didn't happen until early 2012. And speaking of the 500, when it starts rolling in, Fiat will be able to claim another five percent of Chrysler, taking its stake to 35 percent.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Massimo Pinca/Getty]

Report: Marchionne predicts Chrysler IPO in second half of 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marchionne says "Probably 2011" on Chrysler IPO, wants GM to go first

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 23 May 2010 09:32:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

Everyone is watching General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre, Jr. to see what he'll be able to pull of this year with respect to his plans, including a possible IPO. Count Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne among the interested. While the Fiat 500's introduction will likely result in Fiat upping its Chrysler stake to 25 percent, when it comes to a Chrysler IPO, Marchionne is thinking 2011, and he wants GM to go first, according to Automotive News.

Marchionne feels there's enough investor interest for both GM and Chrylser IPOs, but said, "Let him go, he's been itching to go," in reference to Whitacre wanting a GM IPO as soon as this year. Chrysler has good reason to wait. It's arguably further behind than GM in its turnaround, and whereas GM has the Volt to make a potential shareholder splash in 2010, Chrysler's product fireworks won't really start booming until next year.

For now, Chrysler milestones are being reached ahead of schedule and things in Auburn Hills are going well enough to get Marchionne to say, "May is "turning out to be a good month." A Chrysler IPO is obviously desired, but based on Marchionne's latest statements, it remains in the distance.

[Source: Automotive News - sub req'd]

Marchionne says "Probably 2011" on Chrysler IPO, wants GM to go first originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 May 2010 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Chrysler outperforming internal forecasts, readying IPO

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 10 May 2010 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Chrysler, Earnings/Financials, Fiat

From Monday's 'More Good News' edition, this nugget from Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne: "It is clear that if we continue to perform at this rate we're going to be in excess of the guidance that was provided in 2009." What does that mean? It means that Chrysler is making more money and using that money more efficiently than expected. If such performance keeps up, the Pentastar will put up better than expected numbers this year, and could be ripe for an IPO ahead of anyone's schedule.

Chrysler showed an operating profit in the first quarter of this year, but even so, it doesn't want to change its estimates for the entire year, at least not yet. The only brand-new vehicle it will be rolling out is the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and that leaves a lot of not-exactly-new product trying to keep the momentum going all the way to the end of the year.

Still, for a company that was left for dead last summer, to be here in May of 2010 talking about it at operational break-even this year and net break-even next year is not a bad year of work. With negative cash flow of $1 billion expected this year, true profit is still a couple of years away, but we can at least see the way with the Fiat 500 arriving in December, a Chrysler small car in Q4 of 2011, updates on its current offerings and an IPO. Come on, Jeep Grand Cherokee...

[Source: Reuters]

Report: Chrysler outperforming internal forecasts, readying IPO originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 May 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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