TOP 100 TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS SITES
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| GM of the Future: Much Smaller and Actually Profitable Markham Lee submits:In light of some of the recent news on [[GM]] I figured it would be a good time to clarify some of my comments around GM needing to become more efficient to survive, because they could easily be misconstrued as simply advocating for more cost cuts.Despite all of the posturing around new restructuring plans, the fact remains that GM's basic strategy (for the last 9+ years) has been to do the following when they get into trouble: cut costs, lay off workers and slash prices/offer incentives in an effort to maintain market share/sales volume. The problem with this strategy is that all of these activities arguably cancel each other out, in that they're cutting costs while simultaneously slashing revenues at the same time.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
'Speculators' Are Starting to Avoid Companies with Legacy Costs David Enke submits: In another example of "unintended consequences," some bond holders are beginning to avoid companies such as General Motors (GM), after the recent moves by the Obama administration to short-change its creditors (see Bloomberg article).Companies with strong unions or extensive medical and pension legacy cost, similar to those at GM, may find it difficult in the future to obtain the funding they need from those labeled by the administration as "speculators". Even those that are still willing to lend will now do so only on their financing terms, which will most likely involve higher rates to compensate for the added credit risk each investor is now taking for the possibility of being "leapfrogged in a bankruptcy," according to those at Schultze Asset Management. In addition to the other automakers, including Chrysler and Ford Motor (F), companies such as AMR (AMR) are also being shunned.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
eBikes: Exciting Development in Green Transportation Tate Dwinnell submits: Pollution from automobiles is a rampant problem in developed societies around the world, and as emerging economies such as China and India become more prosperous, a larger percentage of the population is able to afford personal transportation. This might lead the environmentally conscious to worry about an immense explosion in the number of cars on the road –and indeed, the number is rising.But unlike many western societies where the standard of personal transportation rests firmly in cars, trucks, and other gas or diesel-based automobiles, not every nation is closed off to greener ideas. China, in particular, has been experiencing a widespread increase in per capita income, but rather than focusing on a nationwide boom in car sales, recent news in transportation from China has centered around the spectacular rise in the use of electric bikes.Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
The Opel Saga Felix Salmon submits: A team of seven Spiegel staffers has produced a spectacular account of the big M&A story you’re probably vaguely aware of and find far too complicated to understand — the attempted sale of GM’s European car division, Opel. There’s lots of great stuff here, such as the games of phone tag being played out at the highest levels of the German and US governments (including Angela Merkel, Tim Geithner, and even Hillary Clinton and Dmitry Medvedev); and the spectacular own-goals being scored by the German government (like appointing board members to the German-American trust overseeing the sale of Opel who disagreed fundamentally with the government’s own plans for the carmaker). Then there’s the even more spectacular own-goal made by at least one bidder, RHJ International (RHJI):Complete Story » seekingalpha.com |
Wright Express Corporation Q3 2009 Earnings Conference Call Wright Express Corporation (WXS)Q3 2009 Earnings CallOctober 28, 2009 10:00 a.m. ETComplete Story » seekingalpha.com |