Result of Meeting
GM Affirms Outlook for Second Quarter At
Annual Meeting of Securities Analysts and Investors
DETROIT, June 10 -- General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM, GMH)
today presented an updated outlook on its business performance at its annual
gathering of securities analysts and investors.
At the meeting, GM executives said the current analyst consensus of
approximately $1.20 earnings per share for the second quarter, excluding
Hughes and special items, is reasonable and is consistent with GM's previous
guidance of more than $1.00 per share for the quarter. GM's second quarter
outlook is after the negative accounting impact of about $0.25 - $0.35 per
share related to lost production and damage from a recent tornado at the
Oklahoma City plant.
For the full year, GM reiterated that its ability to achieve its target of
$5.00 earnings per share, excluding Hughes and special items, remains
uncertain in light of the intense pricing pressure in the U.S. -- as
previously stated in April. GM North America is expected to fall short of its
initial net income target for 2003. However, General Motors Acceptance Corp.
(GMAC) continues to exceed expectations and is now forecasting earnings of
more than $2 billion -- which would set a new record.
GM Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer John Devine said: 'We are
continuing to work toward our aggressive target of $10 earnings per share by
mid-decade. Although it appears that this goal is becoming more difficult to
achieve, we are looking at a variety of opportunities that will help us reach
this target. Earnings of $10 per share by mid-decade remains the goal.'
'GM remains focused on solid business fundamentals to help ensure
continued profitability -- despite a fiercely challenging pricing and
competitive environment. The objectives outlined early this year continue to
be our focus: developing great products; continuing cost reduction and
maximizing revenue across the enterprise, staying aggressive in the market,
and strengthening the balance sheet,' Devine said.
GM continues to make progress toward its goal of strengthening the balance
sheet by $10 billion in 2003. Through the first quarter, GM generated cash
and improved the balance sheet by $4.5 billion, primarily attributable to
positive automotive cash flow and asset sales. In addition, GM raised
approximately $1.5 billion in debt offerings in May of 2003. GM remains
confident it will meet or exceed its 2003 cash-generation target.
GM's financial picture reflects continued strength at GMAC. GMAC now
expects to earn more than $2 billion in 2003, and plans to remit a dividend to
GM later this year. Financing operations remain strong; insurance operations
are on the rise over 2002; and mortgage operations continue to excel as a
result of exceptionally strong origination volume.
GM's operations in the Asia Pacific region are yielding better-than-
expected results with the start-up of GM-Daewoo Auto and Technology Co., in
Korea, volume growth and an increasing manufacturing footprint in China,
market leadership and rear-wheel drive synergies from Holden, as well as
product and powertrain synergies being developed with GM's Japanese alliance
partners. China's automotive industry continues to experience rapid growth,
with industry sales escalating from 1 million units in 1990 to more than 4
million projected in 2003. GM's sales volume in China is expected to grow to
335,000 this year -- up from 258,000 in 2002.
For GM North America, GM executives outlined the company's efforts to
strengthen its passenger car line-up. More than two-thirds of GM's capital
spending in North America has been dedicated to truck products over the past
several years. While GM continues to expand its light truck portfolio to
maintain a leadership position in these segments, the company will shift more
capital spending to re-invigorate its passenger car portfolio. Between the
2003 and 2006 model years, 90 percent of GM's passenger car entries and 94
percent of its car volume will be overhauled with renewed emphasis on design
and quality.
Total automobile sales in the U.S. continue to track GM's estimate of
annual vehicle sales in the low- to mid-16 million unit range. In order to
offset intense competitive pricing pressure, GM North America is focused on
cutting costs in the areas of material and warranty, as well as achieving
savings in manufacturing and engineering operations. GM reiterated that it
expects to meet or exceed its 2003 calendar year targets for both material and
structural cost reductions.
In addition to cost-cutting efforts, GM North America is focused on
aggressive revenue management -- growing and improving the quality of market
share, improving vehicle mix, and expanding services such as XM Radio and
OnStar. Year-to-date, this revenue management has allowed GM North America to
essentially offset the negative pricing environment -- keeping revenue per
unit steady versus last year.
GM Europe continues to pursue its plan for a turnaround with aggressive
productivity improvements and reduced costs in the areas of material,
manufacturing, and warranty. An aggressive schedule of product introductions
is expected to help continue GM's share recovery and bolster revenue growth.
However, the economic outlook for Western Europe, particularly Germany, is
weaker than expected and has resulted in lower industry sales.
GM's Latin America-Africa-Middle East (LAAM) operations continue to
increase market share in very depressed markets. These gains and significant
cost cutting are expected to lead to a narrower loss for GM LAAM in 2003,
versus 2002.
In this press release and related comments by General Motors management,
our use of the words 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'forecast,'
'objective,' 'plan,' 'goal,' 'pursue' and similar expressions is intended to
identify forward looking statements. While these statements represent our
current judgment on what the future may hold, and we believe these judgments
are reasonable, actual results may differ materially due to numerous important
factors that are described in GM's most recent report on SEC Form 10-K (at
page II-18) which may be revised or supplemented in subsequent reports on SEC
Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such factors include, among others, the following:
changes in economic conditions, currency exchange rates or political
stability; shortages of fuel, labor strikes or work stoppages; market
acceptance of the corporation's new products; significant changes in the
competitive environment; changes in laws, regulations and tax rates; and, the
ability of the corporation to achieve reductions in cost and employment levels
to realize production efficiencies and implement capital expenditures at
levels and times planned by management.
SOURCE General Motors Corporation
-0- 06/10/2003 P
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