By WC Power Tech Fund
Shares of General Motors (GM)
are off about 10% today as all signs are pointing to the inevitable
bankruptcy filing on Monday June 1st. The struggles in Detroit continue
to drag down domestic Automakers but GM's well-publicized cash flow
problems and stand-offs with the Federal Government have led to its
demise.
Unlike Motor City brethren Ford (F),
GM was unable to reign in enough the costs that had been spiraling out
of control as deals with the UAW and CAW only go so far. The
cost-cutting pacts with the Canadian union and the ownership agreements
with the US Union could not in the end support the business model
without an infusion of outside help that wasn't in sight. Italian car
maker Fiat is still interested in GM's European operations to the tune
of a merger with the Opel brand, but without a leg to stand on, General
Motors as this generation has come to know it, no longer exists.
The
electric Volt will not save the company now, far too little and far too
late, all that will happen now is a sell-off of assets to anyone
willing to buy. Perhaps GM can pick up the pieces and re-emerge as a
brand in-tune with a new generation of motorist, but as a company and
especially as a stock in today's market it is.
Turmoil at GM can
only mean good things for competitors, with the company distracted by
the slashing of assets, the brokerage of deals & spin-offs and the
necessity of brazen survival for workers up and down the corporate
chain, the only winners will be other car-makers.
Names like Ford, Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC)
should emerge with a stronger competitive advantage while luxury
European brands continue to fight for the affluent customer throughout
North America. Auto Stocks are all marginally higher today signaling
that although one of the Titans of the industry has fallen, the car
business will not go away and the remaining horses in the race will not
slow down to pick each other up. What sometimes seems like a 0-60
sprint in the car business actually is and I expect the other big
automotive companies to not pull any punches when it comes to
advertising their strengths, and as is always prudent advice when it
comes to investments: Stick with the strong.