SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549-1004
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report
(Date of earliest event reported) January 10, 2002
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GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
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(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
STATE OF DELAWARE 1-143 38-0572515
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(State or other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) Identification No.)
300 Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan 48265-3000
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(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (313)-556-5000
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ITEM 9. Forward Looking Information Relating to General Motors Corporation (GM)
financial objectives for 2002.
GM Plans For Challenging But Profitable 2002
Calendar-Year Financial Targets Include:
* $3.00 per share earnings, excluding Hughes
* Profitable GM Automotive Operations
* Improved market share in all automotive regions
* Positive operating cash flow
* Significant cost reductions
* Reduced capital spending
DETROIT -- Product performance, financial performance and balance-sheet
strength are the key drivers for creating value at General Motors. That was the
top-line message delivered today as GM outlined financial objectives for 2002
during a meeting with automotive securities analysts and institutional
investors.
GM Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer John Devine said that even
with an expected reduction in overall industry auto sales due to weaker economic
conditions, "GM expects to improve market share in each of its automotive
regions" -- North America (GMNA), Europe (GME), Latin America/Africa/Mid-East
(GMLAAM), and Asia-Pacific (GMAP).
"Equally important, despite relentless competition and economic challenges,
we fully expect our global automotive operations to be profitable this year, and
to generate positive operating cash flow," Devine said.
Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman in charge of product development and chairman of
GM North America, told analysts, "General Motors will continue to focus on
providing consumers with innovative, exciting, high-quality vehicles and
services while relentlessly driving lower costs."
GM's results in the fourth quarter of 2001 are expected to be better than
the previous guidance of approximately $0.50 per share. "Improved profits
generated by strong North American vehicle sales will be partially offset by the
unfavorable effect of the currency devaluation in Argentina," Devine said.
"Based on these factors, GM's fourth-quarter earnings are now expected to be
approximately $0.60 per share."
GM's 2002 earnings target is $3.00 per share, excluding Hughes. GM North
America is expected to earn approximately $750 million in calendar-year 2002.
The GMLAAM and GMAP regions are also expected to be profitable this year. As GM
Europe implements its major restructuring plan, its results are expected to
improve from 2001 levels, with losses less than $350 million in 2002. GME
expects to take an unspecified charge in the first quarter of 2002 related to
the restructuring.
"GME is working aggressively to restructure its operations and strengthen
its brands in order to achieve sustained profitability by 2003," said GME
President Mike Burns.
General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC) is expected to have another
relatively strong year in 2002, with net income of approximately $1.65 billion,
down slightly from 2001, due to several external factors. GMAC's results are
expected to be unfavorably affected by increased borrowing costs, off-lease
residual values that will result in lower book gains, and slightly higher credit
losses, partially offset by likely improvements in mortgage operations.
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GM has forecast total U.S. industry vehicle sales to be in the range of
15.0 million to 15.5 million units, down about 10 percent from 2001 levels,
which were the second highest in history. Industry sales in Europe are expected
to be down nearly 5 percent to approximately 18.5 million units. Sales in the
Latin America/Africa/Mid-East and Asia-Pacific regions are expected to be
relatively flat compared with 2001.
Pricing pressures are expected to continue in 2002, with net price
retention estimated at negative 1 percent in North America and in Europe.
"The inability to raise prices requires us to take even tougher measures to
reduce costs," Devine said. "We're attacking costs at all levels. GM expects an
accelerated rate of material-cost reductions this year, and will intensify
efforts to reduce structural costs." GM will continue to focus on improving
manufacturing and engineering productivity, and plans to reduce salaried and
contract employment levels by an additional 10 percent in North America and
Europe to help make GM leaner and more efficient. The company's goal this year
is to hold fixed costs in its core automotive operations at or below 2001 levels
despite a projected pretax increase of approximately $1.5 billion (about $1
billion after taxes) in pension expense and healthcare costs in 2002.
GM plans to reduce overall automotive capital spending by about 11 percent
to $7.1 billion in 2002, while increasing the efficiency of vehicle development
and improving management of working capital. GM North America, for example,
plans to reduce overall capital spending in 2002 without decreasing the amount
for product programs.
"Through a more disciplined approach, we will maintain a single-minded
focus on pursuing industry leadership in defining new trends, setting new
standards for innovative products and services, producing them more efficiently,
and delivering great results," said Gary Cowger, president of GM North America.
"Overall, 2002 will be a very challenging year for the industry," Devine
said. "At GM, we are determined to continue building momentum, to stay on track
with our plans to deliver exceptional products and services to consumers
throughout the world, and to deliver value to our stockholders."
# # #
In this press release and related comments by General Motors management, our
use of the words "outlook," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast,"
"project," "forecast," "likely," "objective," "plan," "designed," "goal" and
similar expressions is intended to identify forward looking statements. While
these statements represent our current judgment on what the future may hold, and
we believe these judgments are reasonable, actual results may differ materially
due to numerous important factors that are described in GM's most recent report
on SEC Form 10-K (at page II-10,11) which may be revised or supplemented in
subsequent reports on SEC Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such factors include, among
others, the following: changes in economic conditions, currency exchange rates
or political stability; shortages of fuel, labor strikes or work stoppages;
market acceptance of the corporation's new products; significant changes in the
competitive environment; changes in laws, regulations and tax rates; and, the
ability of the corporation to achieve reductions in cost and employment levels
to realize production efficiencies and implement capital expenditures at levels
and times planned by management.
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A live webcast is scheduled from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST Jan.
10, 2002. The webcast and presentation material will be available through a hot
link in GM Media Online (http://media.gm.com), or directly at
http://investor.gm.com under Recent Webcasts in the Webcasts and Presentations
section. A replay of the webcast will also be available on the site following
the event.
Presentation materials will be available under Recent Presentations in the
Webcasts and Presentations section.
Additionally, you may listen to the meeting via telephone. To access the call on
a listen-only basis, please dial 212-896-6095 about 10 minutes prior to the
start time and ask to be connected to the General Motors conference call.
A replay of this presentation will be available via telephone from Jan.10, 2002,
at 12:45 p.m. EST until Jan. 12, 2002, at 12:45 p.m. EST. The dial-in number for
the replay is 800-633-8284 (858-812-6440 for international access). Please enter
reservation number 20152101.
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
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(Registrant)
Date January 10, 2002
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By
s/Peter R. Bible
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(Peter R. Bible,
Chief Accounting Officer)
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