GM sales + 11.4% in March on Strong demand

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) said Friday that it sold 206,621 vehicles last month, up 11.4% from a year ago, as higher gasoline prices triggered demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The U.S. automaker said total US sales in March for its 4 brands rose to 206,621 vehicles from 185,406 last year.

The GM increase in March was below analysts’ expectation of a 17% rise for overall US sales, as well as February’s stronger-than-expected 49% gain, as GM backed off the high incentives it had been offering. GM said it cut rebates and other incentives in March by US$600 to 800 from the previous month. But the largest US car maker said it expected slower sales in March as it pulled back on discounts.

The Company said its new Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan led the way in sales, reflecting a shift in demand, as US gas prices rose 25.1c gal in the past month, supring a Strong boost to the sales of smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicle.

“Our plan was to get out of the gates quickly in the first quarter and we succeeded,” said Don Johnson, GM’s VP for, US Sales Operations. “Consumers responded favorably to the value of our broad lineup of fuel-efficient cars, trucks and crossovers.”

General Motors Company (GM) is a global automotive company. It develops, produces and markets cars, trucks and parts worldwide. Its business is diversified across products and geographic markets, with operations and sales in over 120 countries. GM assembles its passenger cars, crossover vehicles, light trucks, sport utility vehicles, vans and other vehicles in 71 assembly facilities worldwide and has 87 additional global manufacturing facilities. With a global network of over 21,700 independent dealers it meets the local sales and service needs of its retail and fleet customers. GM’s business is organized into three geographically-based segments: General Motors North America (GMNA), General Motors International Operations (GMIO) and General Motors Europe (GME). GM offers a global vehicle portfolio of cars, crossovers and trucks. In addition to the products GM sells to its dealers for consumer retail sales, it also sells cars and trucks to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies and governments. Sales to fleet customers are completed through its network of dealers and in some cases directly by the Company. The Company’s retail and fleet customers can obtain a range of aftersale vehicle services and products through its dealer network, such as maintenance, light repairs, collision repairs, vehicle accessories and extended service warranties.

Prior to July 10, 2009, the Company’s business was operated by Old GM. On June 1, 2009, Old GM and three of its domestic direct and indirect subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 (Chapter 11 Proceedings) of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Bankruptcy Code) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Bankruptcy Court). On July 10, 2009, the Company, through certain of its subsidiaries, acquired all of the assets of Old GM (the 363 Sale). During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company and Old GM sold 7.5 million vehicles, representing 11.6% of total vehicle sales worldwide. Approximately 72% of its and Old GM’s vehicle sales volume was generated outside the United States, including 38.7% from markets, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China (collectively BRIC). In November 2010, the Company sold its Nexteer equipment unit to China-based Pacific Century Motors.

Other than dealerships, at June 30, 2010, GM had 117 locations in 26 states and 93 cities or towns in the United States. Of these locations, 40 are manufacturing facilities, of which 11 are engaged in the final assembly of its cars and trucks and other manufacture automotive components and power products. Of the remaining locations, 26 are service parts operations primarily responsible for distribution and warehouse functions, and the remainder are offices or facilities primarily involved in engineering and testing vehicles. In addition, GM has 17 locations in Canada, and assembly, manufacturing, distribution, office or warehousing operations in 58 other countries, including equity interests in associated companies which perform assembly, manufacturing or distribution operations. Its properties include facilities which are suitable and adequate for the manufacture, assembly and distribution of its products.

General Motors North America (GMNA)

GMNA with manufacturing and distribution operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico and distribution operations in Central America and the Caribbean, represented 33.2% of GM’s and Old GM’s total 2009, vehicle sales volume. In North America, the Company sells its vehicles through four brands: Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac, which are manufactured at plants across the United States, Canada and Mexico and imported from other GM regions. During 2009, GMNA’s market share in this market was at 19%.

General Motors International Operations (GMIO)

GMIO with manufacturing and distribution operations in Asia-Pacific, South America, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, is its largest segment by vehicle sales volume, and represented 44.5% of its and Old GM’s total 2009, vehicle sales volume including sales through its joint ventures. In these regions, GM sells its vehicles under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, FAW, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel and Wuling brands. In 2009, GMIO had a market share for this market of 10.2%. Approximately 54.9% of GMIO’s volume is from China, where, primarily through its joint ventures, it had a market share of 13.3% in 2009.

General Motors Europe (GME)

GME with manufacturing and distribution operations across Western and Central Europe, represented 22.3% of the Company’s and Old GM’s total 2009, vehicle sales volume. In Western and Central Europe, it sells its vehicles under the Opel and Vauxhall (United Kingdom only) brands, which are manufactured in Europe, and under the Chevrolet brand, which is imported from South Korea where it is manufactured by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, Inc. (GM Daewoo) of which GM owns 70.1%. In 2009, GME had a market share of 8.9% in this market.

	Company	Industry	Sector	S&P 500
Sales (MRQ) vs Qtr. 1 Yr. Ago	14.09	-0.28	1,168.41	10.14
Sales (TTM) vs TTM 1 Yr. Ago	29.64	4.15	4.31	10.51
Sales – 5 Yr. Growth Rate	–	11.54	10.13	7.46
EPS (MRQ) vs Qtr. 1 Yr. Ago	101.57	6.69	119.67	77.20
EPS (TTM) vs TTM 1 Yr. Ago	-97.93	–	–	–
EPS – 5 Yr. Growth Rate	–	4.99	3.13	4.68
Capital Spending – 5 Yr. Growth Rate	–	3.68	1.18	3.57

Paul A. Ebeling, Jnr.
www.livetradingnews.com

For More Information Contact

Chutinush Taksinapinunt (ANISTA)

Business Development Director

Heffernan Capital Management

Info@Heffcap.com

Suite 53 Athenee Tower 63 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 THAILAND

Tel: +66 2 126 8045

Fax: +66 2 126 8080

Mobile: +66 8 5997 0635

Email : info@heffcap.com

New York

347 5th Avenue, Suite 1402-508 NY, NY 10016

Tel: +1 646-403-9881

Fax: +1 646-403-8014

Singapore

3 Raffles Place #07-01 Bharat Building Singapore 048617

Tel: +65 6329 6408

Fax: +65 6329 9699

Info@Heffcap.com

Get the Updates Daily

Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner

Free Trial: HCM Pro Trader Platform

Your use of any of the Websites or any of the Services (defined below) constitutes your agreement to be bound by and comply with the Website Terms and Conditions and your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information as described in the Privacy Policy. If you do not so agree and consent, you are not authorized to visit or use our Websites or the Services.

Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment. You must also accept that opinions on stock markets change minute to minute, opinions expressed my change at any time without warning. Opinions maybe influenced by ad sales and other financial consideration. This site does not offer any assistance in making financial decisions.

Read the Terms of Service

Posted by Shayne Heffernan on Apr 2nd, 2011and filed underEquities, Latest News, Markets, USA.You can follow any responses to this entry through theRSS 2.0You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site