MILAN: Fiat sharply cut its group targets for the next two years on Tuesday, saying languishing sales in austerity-hit Europe may mean its trading profit in 2014 is a third lower than it targeted two years ago.
Revising the projections made when European economies had seemed ready to recover from the global financial crisis, the Italian automaker said it now expected to sell 4.6-4.8 million cars in 2014, not the 6 million it had hoped for.
The Turin-based group cut its forecast of 2014 trading profit to 4.7-5.2 billion euros from 7.5 billion previously, while 2012 net industrial debt could hit 6.5 billion euros, up to one billion euros above the previous projection.
Under Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, Fiat took control of the bankrupt U.S. carmaker Chrysler in 2009. Chrysler's revival since then has kept Fiat afloat in the current European crisis, allowing it to keep all its Italian plants open, although they are running below capacity.
Fiat also reported slightly better-than-expected third-quarter profits on Tuesday, and said again that it did not plan to shut European factories, unlike some of its competitors.
Instead, it promised to increase investment and return its European operations to profitability in 2015-2016 by developing "global brands Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep and the Fiat 500 'family'".
Marchionne acknowledged the risk involved in investing and avoiding factory closures while the European market was shrinking.
"This is truly not for the faint hearted," he said. "We never shied away from the challenges of making Chrysler into a viable carmaker. I think we need to do it one more time, to find a permanent solution to Europe's quandary."
NO MERGER TALKS
Marchionne, who unsuccessfully bid for General Motors' European division Opel in 2009, said he had not discussed the business with GM since then.
He also denied a report that he had proposed a three-way tie-up with GM and France's PSA Peugeot Citroen earlier this month.
According to the anonymously sourced Bloomberg report, Marchionne had approached GM and PSA Peugeot Citroen, which are already pursuing an alliance in purchasing, logistics and future vehicle development.
"I wasn't the guy talking to Opel about anything ... We haven't had conversations since ... 2009," Marchionne said on a conference call with reporters and analysts when asked to comment on the report.
Shares in Fiat accelerated losses on the back of the profit warning and closed down 4.7 percent in Milan at 3.93 euros.
"The share is being buffeted by the lowered targets, though honestly it's all just a natural consequence of the unfolding crisis on the European markets," said an Italian fund manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"Thank God there's Chrysler. Fiat without Chrysler would be in real trouble."
indiatimes.com
Revising the projections made when European economies had seemed ready to recover from the global financial crisis, the Italian automaker said it now expected to sell 4.6-4.8 million cars in 2014, not the 6 million it had hoped for.
The Turin-based group cut its forecast of 2014 trading profit to 4.7-5.2 billion euros from 7.5 billion previously, while 2012 net industrial debt could hit 6.5 billion euros, up to one billion euros above the previous projection.
Under Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, Fiat took control of the bankrupt U.S. carmaker Chrysler in 2009. Chrysler's revival since then has kept Fiat afloat in the current European crisis, allowing it to keep all its Italian plants open, although they are running below capacity.
Fiat also reported slightly better-than-expected third-quarter profits on Tuesday, and said again that it did not plan to shut European factories, unlike some of its competitors.
Instead, it promised to increase investment and return its European operations to profitability in 2015-2016 by developing "global brands Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep and the Fiat 500 'family'".
Marchionne acknowledged the risk involved in investing and avoiding factory closures while the European market was shrinking.
"This is truly not for the faint hearted," he said. "We never shied away from the challenges of making Chrysler into a viable carmaker. I think we need to do it one more time, to find a permanent solution to Europe's quandary."
NO MERGER TALKS
Marchionne, who unsuccessfully bid for General Motors' European division Opel in 2009, said he had not discussed the business with GM since then.
He also denied a report that he had proposed a three-way tie-up with GM and France's PSA Peugeot Citroen earlier this month.
According to the anonymously sourced Bloomberg report, Marchionne had approached GM and PSA Peugeot Citroen, which are already pursuing an alliance in purchasing, logistics and future vehicle development.
"I wasn't the guy talking to Opel about anything ... We haven't had conversations since ... 2009," Marchionne said on a conference call with reporters and analysts when asked to comment on the report.
Shares in Fiat accelerated losses on the back of the profit warning and closed down 4.7 percent in Milan at 3.93 euros.
"The share is being buffeted by the lowered targets, though honestly it's all just a natural consequence of the unfolding crisis on the European markets," said an Italian fund manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
"Thank God there's Chrysler. Fiat without Chrysler would be in real trouble."
indiatimes.com
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