European Automotive & Truck Sector
Calendar of Events: July-September 2015
Another year, another merger rumour surrounding FCA! Only this time it is more than a rumour. We believe that FCA’s CEO Marchionne looks for a tie-up with the epicentre in NAFTA. Mr. Marchionne has repeatedly said that there was a need for more consolidation in the auto industry to spread the costs of developing new models, efficient engines and clean-emissions technologies. We do not believe that mega mergers are the answer.
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For FY15E, we expect a global LV market of 89.2m, implying an increase by 1.9% or 1.7m. The growth rate is thus expected to almost halve in 2015E, from 3.7% in FY14 and 4.0% in FY13.
If the current slow GDP trend continues, and all signs we see point to this, then the level of earnings for the S&P 500 could be the lowest seen in two years. Q1. We are convinced by the initial data that this year’s Q2 will not be nearly as strong; we maintain our 2015 forecast for +2.2% GDP growth. It is time to make a few portfolio adjustments.
01 14 2015 CGI – GADA – January 2015 edition
Automotive Analyst Sabine Blumel reviews global automotive demand by country.
11 24 2014 CGI – GADA – November edition
Senior Automotive Analyst Sabine Blumel analyzes Global Automotive Demand.
09 01 2014 CGI – GADA – August-September edition
Automotive Analyst Sabine Blumel analyzes global automotive demand trends.
05 30 2014 CGI – GADA – May 2014 edition
Analyst Sabine Blumel reviews Global Automotive Demand by major market globally. SAAR revised down slightly due to the worsening outlook in a number of emerging markets,the FY14E forecast is a 3.5% increase to some 87.3m; this implies a deceleration from last year’s restated +3.9% growth to 84.36m.
In March, the global light vehicle markets declined 1.5% yoy to 7.96m units, after having declined 6.2% yoy in February, resulting in a 1.6% yoy increase in YTD, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales was 81.26m units/year, 2.0% higher than February’s 79.68m and 5.4% down from a record 85.91m in January. YTD, the SAAR was 82.83m, 2.3% higher than FY12’s 81.00m. In FY13E, the global LVs markets are expected to grow 2.8% to 83.2m, which implies a considerable deceleration from last year’s 5.3% and is in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA March 2013 edition of April 1st, 2013.) From 2014 onwards, the markets are expected to accelerate again and to grow by almost 7% p.a. in 2014E and 2015E.
The Euro has realized rather pronounced declines since the start of February, but recently momentum indicators have diverged from the short-term price action, indicating that selling pressures were abating. The intermediate trend is noted to have changed, but a continuation of this short-term rebound is reasonable as the currency corrects an oversold condition. A retest of the 50-day moving average around 1.32, and even up to 1.3450 is increasingly probable as the currency exits a period of seasonal weakness that concluded at the end of March.
Euro strength has generally coincided with US$ index weakness, often seen as a positive catalyst for equity and commodity prices.
The US$ index is showing signs of rolling over from its recent positive trend. The US$ index is pushing towards its 50-day average as seasonal weakness in the month of April pressures the currency lower.
In January, the global light vehicle markets grew 12.0% yoy, after having advanced 1.3% yoy in December and 5.2% to 80.89m in FY12, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales hit a record level of 85.91m units/year in January, 4.4% higher than December’s 82.31m. In FY13E, the global LVs markets are expected to decelerate sharply and grow just 2.7% to 83.0m, in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA January 2013 edition of January 23rd, 2013.)
As you know we turned very bullish on Japan and China in September 2012, and have been advising to overweight allocations towards the Nikkei and the Shanghai Indices, as we recognized major turning points in those markets due to changes in government leadership and implicitly new and improved stimulus policies going into effect as of Q4 2012.
In December, the global light vehicle markets grew 1.3% yoy, after having advanced 4.3% in November, resulting in a 5.2% increase to 80.89m in FY12, according to LMC Automotive. The SAAR (seasonally adjusted annualised rate) of sales declined somewhat to 82.31m units/year in December, from 83.03m units/year in November, though was better than in October and September. In 2013E, the global LVs markets are expected to decelerate sharply and grow just 2.3% to 82.73m, in line with our previous forecast. (See GADA December 2012 edition of December 19th, 2012.) Continue reading
Bull or Bear? and European Nuclear Power Plant Problems
The weekly chart below of the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the past few years shows a massive rising wedge formation, which has severe bearish implications should the price action break below the lower limit of this pattern. Given the easy money policy in the US and other parts of the world, a certain amount of skepticism of the bearish implications is warranted. However, the merit of this pattern is supported by a negative momentum divergence over the same period.
– Europe, US, Japan, Korea & India OEMs Valuations
– Global Truck Manufactures Valuations
Technical Market Observations & Babbage
The weakest 3-week period of the year for North American equity markets is from September 16th to October 9th. The S&P 500 has dropped an average of 2.5% during this period. The TSE Composite Index has dropped an average of 4.0% per period. The weakness is related to negative guidance (earnings confession season) and analyst estimate reductions/downgrades during this period prior to release of third quarter results.
2012 so far:……
VW announced that it plans to offer up to 65m new preferred non-voting shares, with the sale price, subscription ratio and the offer volume to be decided by March 26. VW intends to raise ‘around EUR 4bn’ in order to fund the Porsche takeover and preserve its credit rating of A- (S&P) and A3 (Moody’s). The issuance of 65m preferred shares would raise around EUR 4.5bn (based on the share price of EUR 68.65 at close March 23rd) and increase the existing number of shares (295m ordinary and 105.24m preferred) by 16%.
Our view: The current VW preferred share price of EUR 59.93 is in line with the YE09 price and values VW preferred shares at 8x prospective 2011E earnings which is at a 15% discount to the 5-year average historic valuation of 9.4x. This is inconsistent with the implication that our 2011 EPS (EUR 7.52) estimates are 15% above the 5-year average of EUR 6.55. (See pp.6-7 for details.)
VW’s extraordinary general meeting (Dec. 3rd) prepared the ground for two important steps in the two-year multi-stage merger with Porsche SE: VW’s acquisition of 49.9% of Porsche AG for EUR 3.9bn cash (that took place on Dec. 7th) and a EUR 4bn capital increase in VW preferred share capital in 1H10.
We expect a EUR 365m group operating profit/1.3% margin, considerably better than 1Q09’s EUR 313m, that included EUR 600m capital gains.
Car market is set for an extended V-shaped recession. Our baseline scenario of an 11.7% correction to 11.68m in 2010 is based on the assumption that the schemes in Italy and France will be extended into part of 2010, the German scheme will expire at year-end as planned, and that car manufacturers will continue to aggressively discount.