Ford Motor Co. announced that it has successfully completed the debt restructuring initiatives it announced last month, reducing its automotive division’s debt by $9.9 billion — a move that the car manufacturer said will save the company approximately $500 million per year.
The automaker and its credit subsidiary are using $2.4 billion in cash and 468 million shares of stock to retire that amount.
If the bookmakers in Vegas were taking bets on which member of the Big 3 will finish in first place when everything is said and done, my whole bankroll would be riding on Ford. They’re making all the right moves, with great cars coming out and a very proactive approach to becoming a leaner, meaner operation.
Everyone is saying that in the end it will be the Big 2, and the news surrounding GM last week only strengthens that speculation. Will one of the Big 3 fold? Unlikely. What will probably happen is that two (most likely GM and Chrysler) will merge.
But, Ford will survive. And quite possibly thrive, for a wide range of reasons. Better management, smarter marketing, superior vehicles and cutting operational and production costs are the main reasons why.
“By substantially reducing our debt, Ford is taking another step toward creating an exciting, viable enterprise,” said CEO Alan Mulally. “As with our recent agreements with the UAW, Ford continues to lead the industry in taking the decisive actions necessary to weather the current downturn and deliver long-term profitable growth.”
Odds to survive:
Ford: 1-2
Chrysler: 3-1
GM: 8-1
Leave a Reply