Large automakers General Motors and Ford Motor Co. are bracing themselves for an upcoming global recession. Both companies are preparing in advance just in case this insanely volatile economy takes a turn for the worse.
At the JPMorgan auto conference in New York City, executives from both automakers highlighted how they are preparing their companies for the potential of much slower economic growth and the resulting hit on auto demand, according to a report by Seeking Alpha. Both companies have cash portfolios that will assist in riding it out once the recession finally takes hold of the economy.
Ford has a cash position of $20 billion and GM has $18 billion in cash to get them through the rough times ahead. As automakers begin their preparations for the economic downturn, the rest of us should probably begin our preps to if we haven’t already.
We aren’t entirely sure why the company is stockpiling cash in case of a recession if they don’t see an imminent downturn, but the reasoning is irrelevant. Both companies are concerned or they wouldn’t be preparing in advance, regardless of what those in higher levels at the automakers are saying to the media.
Meanwhile, Ford said that it was “proactively” evaluating its future moves as it works with economists to model the severity of a possible recession.
This all comes as the news of the auto industry’s problems continue. India’s auto sales in July were the worst in 19 years while the German economy shrunk on the woes of their own auto industry. Globally, the auto industry is suffering and sales just aren’t what they used to be despite people paying exorbitant monthly payments for their car loans. New-car buyers agreed to pay an average of $551 per month for 69 months as of January 2019, and those numbers cannot have improved much since then. Car debt has risen 75 percent since the Great Recession in 2009, reaching an all-time high of $1.2 trillion, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
It is clear that the Amerian consumer who is taking out loans on a new car is much more confident in this economy than the automakers are.
“We aren’t entirely sure why the company is stockpiling cash in case of a recession if they don’t see an imminent downturn, but the reasoning is irrelevant.”
These companies are huge and have massive cash requirements, that’s why. Another EARLY leading indicator flashed RED today signaling a recession within the next 22 months. I think that is too optimistic. October looms. It always looms.
Buckle up. Stack & pack. Hunker down. 🙂
No worries here. Been working on it for 5 years now. Thanks for the heads up.
They don’t make shit that people want, let them go belly up.
Yep, bunch of overpriced shit cars with waaaayyy to much electronic garbage and shit no one needs. If they built a simple quality analog truck then maaaayyybe I’d consider it. But I know they won’t so fuck them!
Bert, why are all new cars alike? Do even look like clones. I’ll give you one guess. Correct! Big Brother. Here is a great explanation.
h ttps://issuesinsights.com/2019/07/15/how-bureaucrats-ruin-everything-from-dishwashers-to-gas-cans-to-cars/
I have a 2004 Mazda B4000( AKA Ford Ranger)
4WD with every goodie you could buy at the time.
Tow package, top line interior, bed-liner, lumber rack,
manual transmission. A real truck.
I have all the original paperwork and the guy paid
in excess of $27,000 for that truck in 2005.
It cost me $ 3,500 in 2018.
I can replace the engine for $2000. I don’t need to just yet.
All the other irritating stuff will cost under $500.
New Ford Rangers costs the Dealer
in the range of $28,000, no telling what they will
put on the windshield price, they need to make a profit.
Absent the idiocy of the Obama destruction of older used cars,
You’d be stupid to pay $60,000 when you can get just as functional or better car for 1/10th the price.
Full disclosure; I fix my own vehicles, have the shop and tools to do so. Part of my preparations for SHTF.
What is a trading or business strategy, which allows me to profit from this.
become a used car dealer. Nobody will buy new…
$559 per month for 69 months !!!!
YS
“$559 per month for 69 months !!!!”
That is only $38, 571.
If you made $15 per hour at some
low life job and lived with mom
or grandma you’d earn $31,200 per year
and could easily pay for a car.
Perhaps that is why I see people using
EBT cards at the store getting into
$60,000 Diesel crew cab 3/4 ton
4WD Ford trucks?
They leave the truck running, with A/C on
kids inside, in car seats, lock the doors and run in to grab
some WIC subsidized food.
Isn’t America great!
Ford and GM have both laid off thousands of people and GM shut down 6 factories, 5 in the US and 1 in Canada, but then turned around and opened up NEW PLANTS IN MEXICO AND CHINA. I used to be a GM man but no more. Chrysler is the only one of the Big 3 still holding its own; no layoffs or even shutting down any plants. My 2003 Dodge Ram 4WD with only 132000 beats the hell out of any new truck for just $10000. $5000 cash for the truck then another $5000 in mechanical work. No regrets there.
My 93 f150 was made in canada…. bought it in 06 for 4K and it has every option they had! 5.0 V8 dual tanks, skidplates, tow package, the works. Only big repair I ever did was rebuild the tranny.
paid cash for a v6 tacoma 4dr 6 ft bed 4×4. not cheap paid33k paid cash so no loan with interest. salesman said he sold a 2016 tacoma with 27k on it for 31k earlier in the week. new is the way to go with full warranty and toyota care for 2 years. $2000 more for the 2019 with zero miles on it. the guy that bought the used 2016 only saved 2k. used private sale is good but from a lot forget it.
I would NEVER pay 30K for a vehicle! I won’t hardly pay 10K. Do you know how much land I can buy for 30K? Thats an investment like silver, cars are just a mode of transport that lose value fast. Why the hell would you pay 30K when 10K will do fine?
Genius, you’re preaching to the choir. I saved that 2003 Dodge Ram from a junkyard by offering the owner’s widow $4000 more than the junkyard would’ve given her. sure I had to spend another $5000 grand under the hood to get it road-worthy but it was worth it to me. I’ve been on the road some with it lately and it just turned 133000 and running like a top. So for just $10K total I’ve got a good reliable truck. No stinkin’ note or even a repo man to worry about since I paid cash. I wish you could’ve seen that woman’s eyes pop out of her head when I flashed that $5K in front of her, LOL. She couldn’t sell it to me fast enough. Living proof that cash still talks.
I love my old truck. No one will ever steal it unless an EMP hits. My wife says it ‘IS an anti-theft device’. Bless her little heart.
Asshat, it’s good that you used cash but in my book an older truck is the way to go. You can still get a decent truck for less than $10K. The Dodge I bought had been sitting in a garage since 2010 and the dead owner’s wife was going to sell it to a junkyard until I came along. The junkyard was only going to give her $1000 for it but when I FLASHED $5000 IN HER FACE she jumped on my offer. That’s living proof that cash still talks. Sure, I had to put another $5000 into it to get it driveable. Just needed $5000 worth of TLC, LOL. But it was worth it to me. Not as much electronics as the newer ones. Big difference between $10000 and $60000-$70000. Original interior still in good shape. Body good and straight. Paint is faded so I might get a paint job later. I could’ve done a lot worse.
You mean if you make 35 grand a year, a 70 grand vehicle is out of reach? (sarc)
dicks.