Twitter jumps after Musk offers deal on original terms
Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is proposing to buy Twitter (TWTR) for the original offer price of $54.20 per share, Jeff Feeley and Ed Hammond of Bloomberg reports, citing people familiar with the matter.
Elon Musk
Musk made the proposal in a letter to Twitter, sources told Bloomberg. Shares of Tesla (TSLA) moved well off their highs after Bloomberg reported, and CNBC followed, that its CEO Elon Musk is proposing to buy Twitter (TWTR) for the original offer price of $54.20 per share. Shares of Twitter are halted at $47.93 pending news while Tesla shares paired their gains to up about 2% to $247.29.
Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has offered to close his acquisition of Twitter (TWTR) on the terms he originally agreed to, Cara Lombardo and Dana Cimilluca of WSJ report, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Musk’s lawyers communicated the proposal to Twitter’s lawyers overnight Monday and filed a letter confidentially with the Delaware Chancery Court ahead of an emergency hearing on the matter Tuesday, the person said.
The two sides are discussing how to ensure the deal can be closed, according to Lombardo and Cimilluca. The judge overseeing the case requested they come back to her by the end of the day with a potential plan that would allow the litigation to be dropped, a source told the Journal.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
OPEC, Russia-led group agree to increase oil production
WTI prices extended earlier gains following the bullish EIA inventory report that overshadowed the boost in production announced by OPEC+.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the statistical agency of the Department of Energy. It provides policy-independent data, forecasts, and analyses to promote sound policy making, efficient markets, and public understanding regarding energy, and its interaction with the economy and the environment.
Crude prices have climbed a whopping 6-handles on the day, surging to $117.27 from an overnight low of $111.20. This is the highest since March.
The market has been whipped recently, with prices climbing on news EU would sanction some Russian oil imports, only to tumble on reports OPEC+ was considering excluding Russia from production quotas which suggested increased output from Saudi and UAE to make up for the loss.
Rig Counts Rise – See Stockwinners.com Market Radar to read more
Then overnight there was talk that the cartel would boost production between 500 M and 700 M barrels, which saw prices dip to the lows, but only briefly.
Prices rallied and remained elevated into the $114 area, even after OPCE+ confirmed the production increase by some 50% or 648k bpd in July and August, as there were doubt the increased output can be effected.
There is also skepticism supply will be able to meet demand down the road. The market also was likely pricing in an inventory shortfall, which the EIA confirmed with crude stocks falling 5.1 M barrels, while distillates and gas stocks declining too.
WTI is up $1.43 to $116.67 per barrel. Brent is up $1.22 to $117.52 per barrel. Gasoline is up 0.126 to $4.199 per gallon. Note that dollar is weaker today which is also helping oil prices. Euro last traded at $1.08 after hitting a low of $1.06 on the day.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Ford CEO says no plans to spin off electric business or ICE business
Ford (F) CEO Jim Farley said while speaking at the Wolfe Research Auto, Auto Tech and Mobility conference:
Jim Farley, Ford CEO
“I wanted to talk quickly about running a successful ICE (internal combustion engines) business versus a BEV (battery-powered electric vehicle) business as we’re scaling. The customers are different.
The EV customers are not like our ICE customers. Our go-to-market as the result has to be digital, no inventory and remote. It’s different. We can bridge to it today, but we have to go much deeper…
Ford will ensure we have the right structure and talent in place to compete and win in this digital software-enabled vehicle business, but as well to revitalize our ICE business.
And here, I really want to emphasize the shift that we’re thinking about.
There’s a lot of focus on the digital electric growth opportunity. But we believe we have lots of room on our ICE business for better quality, lower structural costs and radical reduction in complexity.
All electric Ford Mustang
And despite the press speculation, we have no plans to spin off our electric business or ICE business. It’s really more around focus and capabilities, expertise and talent. Those are key for Ford, and this is what we’re working on. Now many companies have studied this.
Some even have a person in charge of EVs here and there. But trust me, Ford will go deeper because we know our competition is Nio and Tesla, and we have to beat them, not match them…
Nio electric car
We believe and we acknowledge that we have upside in our ICE business and it’s critical that we leverage that and we’ve been working on and making progress to get to that 8% EBIT margin as a company…
We believe that both ICE and BEV portfolios are under-earning. Let me say that one more time. This management team firmly believes that our ICE and BEV portfolios are under-earning and that is not price. That is lower structural costs, improving our bill of material for our BEV vehicles and scaling…
Tesla Model 3
The net all of this is we have ample headroom for growth, as you said, Rod, and increased our company EBIT margin target to get to that 8%… And what we want to get across to all of you is that we have a long view of Ford that we have rethought our entire portfolio.”
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
U.S. flash Markit Purchasing Managers Index’s (PMI) all slipped in December as activity eased amid well known headwinds such as capacity constraints and Omicron variant spread.
Flash Manufacturing PMI is an estimate of manufacturing for a country, based on about 85% to 90% of total Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey responses each month.
Any reading of the Flash Manufacturing PMI above 50 indicates improving conditions, while readings below 50 indicate a deteriorating economic climate.
The manufacturing index fell another -0.5 ticks to 57.8 in December after dipping -0.1 ticks to 58.3 in November. It is the weakest since the 57.1 last December.
The index has been sliding from the record high of 63.4 in July, but it remains in expansion for an 18th straight month.
New orders declined to 56.3 from 56.9, while supplier delivers increased to their best reading since May.
The preliminary services index also fell -0.5 ticks to 57.5 on the month following the -0.7 point decline to 58.0. The reading is above the 54.8 from a year ago, however, and has been above 50 since July 2020.
The business expectations component improved to its highest reading since November 2020.
Input prices climbed to 77.4 versus 75.7 last month and is at an all-time peak (data goes back to 2009).
The composite reading dipped -0.3 ticks to 56.9 from November’s 57.2 and was at 55.3 last December. Input prices increased to a new record level at 78.1 from November’s 77.6.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
The company (INTC) states: “Intel announced its intention to take Mobileye public in the United States in mid-2022 via an initial public offering of newly issued Mobileye stock.
The move will unlock the value of Mobileye for Intel shareholders by creating a separate publicly traded company and will build on Mobileye’s successful track record and serve its expanded market.
Intel will remain the majority owner of Mobileye, and the two companies will continue as strategic partners, collaborating on projects as they pursue the growth of computing in the automotive sector.
The share of semiconductors is expected to be 20% of a premium vehicle’s total bill-of-materials (BOM) by 20301.
The Mobileye executive team will remain, with Prof. Amnon Shashua continuing as the company’s CEO.
Amnon Shashua
Recently acquired Moovit as well as Intel teams working on lidar and radar development and other Mobileye projects will be aligned as part of Mobileye.
In the four years since Mobileye was acquired by Intel, Mobileye has experienced substantial revenue growth, achieved numerous technical innovations and made significant investments directed to solving the most difficult scientific and technology problems to prepare the deployment of autonomous driving at scale.
A final decision on the IPO and its conditions and ultimate timing is pending and subject to market conditions. Intel, as majority shareholder, will continue to fully consolidate Mobileye. The transaction is not expected to have an impact on Intel’s 2021 financial targets.”
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Workhorse Group suspends deliveries of C-1000 vehicles, recalls 41 that it had delivered
Workhorse Group Inc. (WKHS) shares plunged on Wednesday to their lowest in fifteen months after the beleaguered electric-vehicle maker said it will suspend deliveries of its vans and recall units it has already delivered.
Workhorse Group (WKHS) provided an update to its ongoing review of the Company’s business and go-forward operating and commercial plans to transition from an advanced technology start-up to an efficient manufacturing company.
The electric van, called the C-1000, would require additional testing and modifications to existing vehicles in order to certify them under federal motor vehicle safety standards, the company said in a statement.
The Company stopped delivery of its C-1000
The Company has identified a number of enhancements in the production process and design of the C-1000 to address customer feedback, primarily related to vehicle dynamics to increase the vehicles’ payload capacity.
As Workhorse has identified these enhancements and continued its review and redesign of the C-1000, the Company has decided to suspend deliveries of C-1000 vehicles and recall 41 vehicles it has already delivered.
As part of these efforts, the new leadership team has determined that additional testing and modifications to existing vehicles are required to certify the C-1000 vehicles under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.
The Company expects to complete testing in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Workhorse intends to provide an update on its operating and commercial plans on its upcoming third quarter 2021 earnings call.
The Company has filed a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the need for additional testing and vehicle modifications to certify its C-1000 vehicles under FMVSS, and intends to fully coordinate with NHTSA.
The Company has not received any customer reports of safety issues related to this matter in any of the C-1000 vehicles previously delivered by Workhorse.
Additional details will be available in the Company’s filing with NHTSA.
Accordingly, the Company’s previous statements related to the C-1000’s compliance with NHTSA standards cannot be relied upon and the Company has so notified the Securities and Exchange Commission.
#Cowen analyst Jeffrey #Osborne lowered his price target on the company to $7.50 from $8.50, and also reduced his estimates for 2021 and 2022 after the announcement, saying a “turnaround appears more challenging.” The analyst also expects working capital to likely be challenged due to prepayments for batteries and other critical materials.
According to some reports, the company is being investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as disappointment related to losing out on a U.S. Postal Service contract that many had expected Workhorse to win.
WKHS closed at $7.41. Shares have a 52-week high of $42.96.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Magna to acquire Veoneer for $31.25 per share in cash
Magna (MGA) and Veoneer (VNE) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Magna will acquire Veoneer.
The Swedish auto parts maker sold for $3.8B
Pursuant to the agreement, Magna will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Veoneer for $31.25 per share in cash, representing a total value of $3.8B, and an enterprise value of $3.3B, inclusive of Veoneer’s cash, net of debt and other debt-like items as of March 31.
Magna expects to operate Veoneer’s Arriver sensor perception and drive policy software platform as an independent business unit, consistent with Veoneer’s current practice.
In addition, Magna will acquire Veoneer’s global position in restraint control systems.
Following the closing of the transaction, Veoneer will be combined with Magna’s existing ADAS business and integrated into Magna’s electronics operating unit.
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Veoneer and Magna boards of directors, and Veoneer’s board of directors unanimously recommends that Veoneer stockholders approve the proposed merger and merger agreement.
In addition, Veoneer stockholders AMF, Cevian, AP4 and Alecta, which collectively represent approximately 40% of Veoneer’s outstanding shares of common stock, have either entered into support agreements with Magna or provided indications of support, pursuant to which they have agreed, among other things and subject to certain conditions, to vote their shares of Veoneer common stock in favor of the transaction.
A special meeting of Veoneer’s stockholders will be convened in connection with the transaction as soon as practicable after the mailing to Veoneer’s stockholders of the proxy statement in connection with the merger.
Magna is rumored to be making the Apple Car
The transaction is expected to close near the end of 2021, subject to the approval of Veoneer’s stockholders, certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is not subject to any financing conditions.
Veoneer, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of automotive safety electronics primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. It offers automotive radars, mono-and stereo-vision cameras, night driving assist systems, advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), electronic control units, airbag control units, crash sensors, seat belt pre-tensioner electronic controllers, and ADAS software for highly automated driving (HAD) and autonomous driving (AD). Veoneer, Inc. is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Aptiv, Hyundai Motor to form autonomous driving JV
Aptiv (APTV) and Hyundai Motor Group (HYMTF) announced that they will be forming an autonomous driving joint venture.
This partnership brings together one of the industry’s most innovative vehicle technology providers and one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers.
Aptiva scores a victory by forming JV with Hyundai, Stockwinners
The joint venture will advance the design, development and commercialization of SAE Level 4 and 5 autonomous technologies, furthering the partners’ leadership position in the global autonomous driving ecosystem.
The joint venture will begin testing fully driverless systems in 2020 and have a production-ready autonomous driving platform available for robotaxi providers, fleet operators, and automotive manufacturers in 2022.
As part of the agreement, Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv will each have a 50 percent ownership stake in the joint venture, valued at a total of $4B.
Hyundai forms autonomous driving joint venture, Stockwinners
Aptiv will contribute its autonomous driving technology, intellectual property, and approximately 700 employees focused on the development of scalable autonomous driving solutions.
Hyundai Motor Group affiliates – Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors and Hyundai Mobis – will collectively contribute $1.6B in cash at closing and $0.4B in vehicle engineering services, R&D resources, and access to intellectual property.
The partnership reinforces the companies’ shared vision of making mobility more safe, green, connected, and accessible by advancing the development and commercialization of the highest-performing and safest autonomous vehicles.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Ford to realign its European operations, Stockwinners
Ford (F) said in a statement that it is launching a new business model and fresh vehicle line-up as part of the most comprehensive redesign in the history of its business in Europe.
The company also is on track to significantly improve its financial results in Europe this year, paving the way to sustainable profitability and its longer-term goal of delivering a 6% EBIT margin.
The new European operating model and resulting organization are effective July 1.
Three new business groups – Commercial Vehicles, Passenger Vehicles and Imports – are being established to facilitate fast decision-making centered on customer needs, Ford said.
Ford Kuga will now be manufactured in China instead of Europe, Stockwinners
Ford is freshening and expanding its vehicle line-up in Europe, introducing at least three new nameplates in the next five years as it continues to grow its utility vehicle portfolio, including the all-new Mustang-inspired fully electric performance utility.
The new nameplates are in addition to all-new Kuga, Puma and Explorer Plug-In Hybrid coming by early 2020.
Manufacturing efficiency is being improved through the previously announced proposed or confirmed closure or sale of six assembly and component manufacturing plants by the end of next year: Proposed closure of Bridgend Engine Plant in South Wales; Closure of Ford Aquitaine Industries Transmission Plant in France; Closure of Naberezhnye Chelny Assembly, St. Petersburg Assembly and Elabuga Engine Plant in Russia; Sale of the Kechnec Transmission Plant in Slovakia to Magna.
This Ford Mustang designed for the European market, Stockwinners
As a result, Ford’s manufacturing footprint in Europe will be reduced to a proposed 18 facilities by the end of 2020, from 24 at the beginning of 2019.
In the U.K., the Ford of Britain and Ford Credit Europe headquarters in Warley also will close later this year and operations consolidated in Dunton.
In addition, Ford is implementing shift reductions at its assembly plants in Saarlouis, Germany, and Valencia, Spain, as well as a more streamlined management structure and marketing and sales operations.
In total, approximately 12,000 jobs will be impacted at Ford’s wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures in Europe by the end of 2020, primarily through voluntary separation programs.
Around 2,000 of those are salaried positions, which are included among the 7,000 salaried positions Ford is reducing globally.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Altair (ALTR) and Datawatch (DWCH) announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which Altair has agreed to acquire Datawatch. Under the terms of the agreement, Altair will pay $13.10 per share in cash, representing a fully diluted equity value of approximately $176M.
The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies.
Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Altair will commence a tender offer within ten business days to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Datawatch for $13.10 per share in cash.
This represents a 35% percent premium to the closing price of Datawatch’s common stock on November 2.
The tender offer is subject to customary closing conditions, including the tender of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Datawatch common stock and the expiration or early termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.
Following the closing of the tender offer, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Altair will merge with and into Datawatch, with each share of Datawatch common stock that has not been tendered being converted into the right to receive the same $13.10 per share in cash offered in the tender offer.
The transaction is anticipated to close in Q4.
Datawatch Corporation designs, develops, markets, and distributes business computer software products to self-service data preparation and visual data discovery markets in the United States and internationally.
Altair Engineering Inc. provides enterprise-class engineering software worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Software and Client Engineering Services. Its integrated suite of multi-disciplinary computer aided engineering software optimizes design performance across various disciplines, including structures, motion, fluids, thermal management, electromagnetics, system modeling and embedded systems, as well as provides data analytics and true-to-life visualization and rendering.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Toyota, SoftBank agree to form JV for self-driving car services
Toyota enters self-driving car services, Stockwinners
Shares of Toyota (TM) are in focus on Thursday after the company announced plans to team up with SoftBank (SFTBF) to develop self-driving car services.
The news follows an announcement from General Motors (GM) on Wednesday that Honda (HMC) will invest $2.75B and take a 5.7% stake in its Cruise self-driving vehicle unit, in which SoftBank is also an investor.
TOYOTA, SOFTBANK TO FORM JV
Toyota announced in a statement that it and SoftBank will form a joint venture called MONET, short for mobility network, to develop businesses that will use driverless-car technology to offer new services, such as mobile convenience stores and delivery vehicles in which food is prepared en route.
MONET will provide coordination between Toyota’s Mobility Services Platform, Toyota’s information infrastructure for connected vehicles, and SoftBank’s Internet of Things Platform, which was built to create new value from the collection and analysis of data acquired from smartphones and sensor devices, the companies said.
MONET will roll out an autonomous driving service using e-Palette, Toyota’s dedicated battery electric vehicle for mobility services, by the second half of the 2020s, Toyota and SoftBank added.
The venture will have initial capital of Y2B, and SoftBank will own just over half of the business, which will initially focus on Japan and eventually go global, according to a Reuters report.
Junichi Miyakawa, chief technology officer at SoftBank who will be CEO of the new company, commented that “SoftBank alone and automakers alone can’t do everything… We want to work to help people with limited access to transportation.”
WHAT’S NOTABLE
Earlier this year, Toyota set up a new company dedicated to the research and development of self-driving vehicles, with plans to invest $2.8 billion to develop a commercially viable autonomous car.
RECENT PARTNERSHIPS IN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
On Wednesday, Cruise and GM announced that they partnered with Honda to work towards large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicle technology.
Honda will work jointly with Cruise and General Motors to fund and develop a purpose-built autonomous vehicle for Cruise that can serve a wide variety of use cases and be manufactured at high volume for global deployment.
Honda will contribute approximately $2B over 12 years to these initiatives, which, together with a $750M equity investment in Cruise, brings its total commitment to the project to $2.75B.
SoftBank’s Vision Fund committed $2.3B to Cruise earlier this year.
Additionally, Renault (RNSDF)-Nissan (NSANY) and Daimler (DDAIF) are considering expanding their collaboration to battery and autonomous vehicle technology as well as mobility services, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing comments made by the CEOs of both companies.
“The industry being in transformation in the area of connectivity, autonomous cars and connected services, there are plenty of areas of cooperation for our entities,” Renault Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
SoftBank Vision Fund to invest $2.25B in GM Cruise
SoftBank Vision Fund to invest $2.25B in GM Cruise
General Motors (GM) announced that the SoftBank Vision Fund will invest $2.25B in GM Cruise Holdings, further strengthening the company’s plans to commercialize AV technology at large scale.
GM will also invest $1.1B in GM Cruise upon closing of the transaction.
“Our Cruise and GM teams together have made tremendous progress over the last two years,” said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra.
“Teaming up with SoftBank adds an additional strong partner as we pursue our vision of zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion.”
“GM has made significant progress toward realizing the dream of completely automated driving to dramatically reduce fatalities, emissions and congestion,” said Michael Ronen, managing partner, SoftBank Investment Advisers.
“The GM Cruise approach of a fully integrated hardware and software stack gives it a unique competitive advantage. We are very impressed by the advances made by the Cruise and GM teams, and are thrilled to help them lead a historic transformation of the automobile industry.”
The SoftBank Vision Fund investment will be made in two tranches.
At the closing of the transaction, the Vision Fund will invest the first tranche of $900M. At the time that Cruise AVs are ready for commercial deployment, the Vision Fund will complete the second tranche of $1.35B, subject to regulatory approval.
Together, this will result in the SoftBank Vision Fund owning a 19.6-percent equity stake in GM Cruise and will afford GM increased flexibility with respect to capital allocation.
The GM and SoftBank Vision Fund investments are expected to provide the capital necessary to reach commercialization at scale beginning in 2019.
GM (GM) Chairman and CEO Mary Barra confirmed the automaker’s plans to launch an autonomous ride-hailing vehicle in 2019.
President Dan Ammann noted that talks with SoftBank occurred over the course of several months. He said GM wasn’t looking for a partner, but found one that was “uniquely aligned” with it.
Ammann added that the Cruise team has grown to over 800 since the acquisition two years ago. He said the decision to report GM Cruise as a standalone segment is intended to enhance transparency around this part of the business.
ANALYST COMMENTS
Evercore ISI analyst George Galliers upgraded General Motors (GM) to Outperform from In Line after SoftBank’s (SFTBF) Vision Fund agreed to invest in the company’s Cruise autonomous driving unit in a deal that values the unit at $11.5B.
Galliers said he had been assigning no value to the Cruise assets before the announcement.
Under his new sum-of-the-parts valuation, Galliers applies a 6.0x multiple on GM’s core, attributes a value of about $8 per share for the Cruise assets and about 60c per share for GM’s stake in Lyft before applying a 25% discount to both of the latter. He raised his price target on GM shares to $50 from $47.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
UPS partners with Workhorse to build electric delivery trucks
Workhorse to build UPS electric delivery trucks
UPS (UPS) announced it plans to deploy 50 plug-in electric delivery trucks that will be comparable in acquisition cost to conventional-fueled trucks without any subsidies – an industry first that is breaking a key barrier to large scale fleet adoption.
The company is collaborating with Workhorse Group (WKHS) to design the vehicles from the ground up, with zero tailpipe emissions. Workhorse claims these vehicles provide nearly 400% fuel efficiency improvement as well as optimum energy efficiency, vehicle performance and a better driver experience.
Each truck will have a range of approximately 100 miles between charges, ideal for delivery routes in and around cities.
The class 5, zero emission delivery trucks will rely on a cab forward design, which optimizes the driver compartment and cargo area, increasing efficiency and reducing vehicle weight.
The new trucks will join the company’s Rolling Lab, a growing fleet of more than 9,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. UPS will test the vehicles primarily on urban routes across the country, including Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles.
With zero emissions and lower noise, the electric delivery trucks will help UPS make its fleet cleaner and quieter, a significant benefit in urban areas.
Following real-world test deployments, UPS and Workhorse will fine-tune the design in time to deploy a larger fleet in 2019 and beyond. Since most of the maintenance costs of a vehicle are associated with the engine and related components, UPS expects the operating cost of the new plug-in electric vehicle to be less than a similarly equipped diesel or gasoline vehicle.
UPS’s goal is to make the new electric vehicles a standard selection, where appropriate, in its fleet of the future. UPS has approximately 35,000 diesel or gasoline trucks in its fleet that are comparable in size and are used in routes with duty cycles, or daily miles traveled similar to the new electric vehicles.
The initiative will help UPS attain its goal of one in four new vehicles purchased by 2020 being an alternative fuel or advanced technology vehicle.
The company also has pledged to obtain 25% of the electricity it consumes from renewable energy sources by 2025 and replace 40% of all ground fuel with sources other than conventional gasoline and diesel, an increase from 19.6% in 2016.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
Analysts weigh in on Harvey impact on used car market
Hurricane Harvey has left a path of destruction in Texas. Commenting on the potential impact the storm will have on the used car market, Janney Capital analyst John Rowan argued that non-bank financials that cater to consumers lower in the credit bureau score spectrum are at an advantage, while his peer at Craig-Hallum sees Carvana (CVNA) as a potential prime beneficiary post-Harvey.
SUBPRIME FINANCING
Janney Capital analyst John Rowan told investors that a new report by Cox Automotive claims that up to half a million cars will be scrappedas a result of Hurricane Harvey, which if accurate would be a significant event for the used car market that could go a long way toward removing the increased wholesale supply of used vehicles and could lead to better pricing later in the year.
While some percentage of the damaged vehicles will be replaced with new ones, Rowan thinks most will be replaced with a used vehicle.
Speculating on who could benefit the most in such a scenario, the analyst argued that non-bank financials that cater to consumers lower in the credit bureau score spectrum are at a “disproportionate advantage.”
The demographic data of the Houston metro area skews toward a greater concentration of un/under-banked consumers, he noted.
Companies that specialize in subprime automotive financing include Ally Financial (ALLY), America’s Car-Mart (CRMT), OneMain Holdings (OMF) and Santander Consumer (SC).
CARVANA MAY BENEFIT
In a research note of his own, Craig-Hallum analyst Steven #Dyer said that while he is cognizant of the near-term disruption in auto sales as a result of Hurricane Harvey, he expects investors will begin looking for beneficiaries from the associated replacement sales. With estimates of more than 500,000 vehicles to be scrapped, the analyst is expecting a surge in replacement sales over the coming months, which is likely to benefit automotive dealers in the associated areas impacted by Harvey.
In his universe, Dyer believes #Carvana (CVNA) could be the prime beneficiary. The company has been in the Houston market since the fourth quarter of 2015 but keeps little-to-no inventory onsite, has about 7,500 vehicles in inventory at any given time and its largest reconditioning center is just up the road in Dallas, the analyst highlighted.
Furthermore, Dyer believes the company’s proven and successful delivery and logistics strategy could allow them to benefit disproportionately from replacement sales. He reiterated a Buy rating and a $24 price target on Carvana’s shares.
COPART
Copart, Inc. (CPRT) is the leading junk car yard or used autoparts. It offers a range of services for processing and selling vehicles over the Internet through its Virtual Bidding Third Generation Internet auction-style sales technology to vehicle sellers, primarily insurance companies, as well as to banks and financial institutions, charities, car dealerships, municipalities, fleet operators, and vehicle rental companies.
PRICE ACTION
In Thursday’s trading, shares of Ally Financial, America’s Car-Mart and OneMain Holdings are all up about 1%, while Santander Consumer’s stock is slipping almost 0.5%. Shares of Carvana have gained over 4%. Its services also comprise services to sell vehicles through CashForCars.com; and U-Pull-It service that allows buyer to remove valuable parts, and sell the remaining parts and car body.
This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.
