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GM
Reaches Agreement to Sell Controlling Stake in GMAC
Cerberus Led Consortium To Buy 51 Percent Of GMAC Equity
GM To Receive $14 Billion In Cash Over Three-Year Period
DETROIT - General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) today announced it has
entered into a definitive agreement to sell a 51-percent controlling
interest in General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC) to a consortium
of investors led by Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., a private
investment firm, and including Citigroup Inc., and Aozora Bank
Ltd. GM expects to receive approximately $14 billion in cash from
this transaction over three years, including distributions from
GMAC, with an estimated $10 billion by closing.
The transaction strengthens GMAC's ability to support GM's automotive
operations, improves GMAC's access to cost-effective funding, provides
significant liquidity to GM and allows GM to continue to participate
in the profitability of GMAC over the long term through its 49-percent
ownership stake.
"
We look forward to working with Cerberus to maintain and grow GMAC's
traditional strong performance and contribution to the GM family," said
GM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rick Wagoner. "This
agreement is another important milestone in the turnaround of General
Motors. It creates a stronger GMAC while preserving the mutually
beneficial relationship between GM and GMAC. At the same time,
it provides significant liquidity to support our North American
turnaround plan, finance future GM growth initiatives, strengthen
our balance sheet and fund other corporate priorities.
"Over the last nine months we have been aggressively implementing
our North American turnaround plan," Wagoner said. "We've
made some big moves, such as the health-care agreement with the United
Auto Workers union; the manufacturing capacity plan; changes to our
salaried health-care and pension plans; an accelerated attrition plan
for hourly employees; and a complete overhaul of our marketing strategy.
These bold initiatives are designed to immediately improve our competitiveness
and position GM for long-term success and today's transition is a
further step in that direction."
The GM Board of Directors approved the sale in a special meeting
on Sunday which followed extensive consideration of this transaction
and alternative strategies over the past several months. Speaking
for the GM Board, Presiding Director George Fisher stated, "This
transaction along with the other progress GM has been making
on its turnaround plan, is an important milestone. While there
is still much work to be done, the GM Board has great confidence
in Rick Wagoner, his management team and the plan they are implementing
to restore the company to profitability."
The transaction is subject to a number of U.S. and international
regulatory and other approvals. The companies expect to close
the transaction in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Long-Term Relationship
"
We are very proud to align ourselves with an American icon like
GM through GMAC, one of the most recognized and respected names
in the financial services industry," said Mark Neporent,
Cerberus' chief operating officer and senior managing director. "We
are committed to a long-term partnership that we expect will
bring sustained growth, diversity of product offerings and
lasting benefits to GM and GMAC employees, dealers, suppliers,
customers
and other stakeholders."
"
We are committed to helping GMAC compete even more effectively
and continuing its tradition of strong growth and success," added
Lenard Tessler, Cerberus' head of Private Equity and senior managing
director. "We recognize that GM's dealers are a cornerstone
for growth in this business, and we are committed to maintaining
the strong support that GMAC provides to its dealer customers.
Moreover, we have great confidence and respect for the people
of GMAC, and look forward to the continued success of the GMAC
automotive financing, mortgage and insurance, banking, and
real estate services businesses around the globe."
GMAC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric Feldstein, who
will continue to lead the company after the equity sale, said, "This
transaction begins an exciting new chapter for GMAC that will
allow us to realize our strategic vision of becoming a premier
global financial services company. With improved access to
cost-effective funding, we will be able to provide more competitive
financing
to promote GM vehicle sales and to re-establish our historic
trend of profitable growth across all our business sectors.
GMAC is now poised to move from a defensive game plan to playing
offense
again, which should enable us to deliver tremendous value to
our shareholders."
As part of the transaction, GM and GMAC will enter into a number
of 10-year agreements under which GMAC will continue to support
GM's automotive operations and provide GM and its dealers and
customers with the same broad range of financial products and
services it does today. Customers and dealers should continue
to expect the world-class service that GMAC currently provides,
and GMAC will continue to be the preferred and exclusive provider
of various financial products involving GM-sponsored consumer
and wholesale marketing incentives around the world. Additionally,
employment levels are not expected to change as a result of this
transaction. Under the agreements, GM will have an option to
acquire GMAC's global automotive finance operations, under certain
conditions, including an investment-grade rating at GM. This
option is exercisable for 10 years after the closing of the transaction.
GM to Receive $14 Billion in Cash
The $14 billion in cash that GM is to receive as part of the
transaction includes $7.4 billion from the Cerberus-led consortium
at closing and an estimated $2.7 billion cash distribution from
GMAC related to the conversion of most of GMAC and its U.S. subsidiaries
to limited liability companies. In addition, GM will retain about
$20 billion of GMAC automotive lease and retail assets and associated
funding with an estimated net book value of $4 billion that will
monetize over three years.
GM also will receive dividends from GMAC equivalent to its earnings
prior to closing, which largely will be used to fund the repayment
of various intercompany loans from GMAC. As a result of these
reductions, GMAC's unsecured exposure to GM is expected to be
reduced to approximately $400 million and will be capped at $1.5
billion on an ongoing basis.
GM and the consortium will invest $1.9 billion of cash in new
GMAC preferred equity -- $1.4 billion to be issued to GM and
$500 million to the Cerberus consortium. GM also will continue
to receive its 49 percent share of common dividends and other
value generated by GMAC.
GM will take a non-cash pre-tax charge to earnings of approximately
$1.1 billion to $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2006 associated
with the sale of 51 percent of GMAC.
Citigroup Providing $25 Billion Syndicated Funding Facility
Citigroup will arrange two syndicated asset-based funding facilities
that total $25 billion which will support GMAC's ongoing business
and enhance GMAC's already strong liquidity position. Citigroup
has committed $12.5 billion in the aggregate to these two facilities.
The funding facilities are in addition to Citigroup's initial
equity investment in GMAC.
"
Citigroup has a 90-year relationship with GM and this transaction
represents both an opportunity to demonstrate our ongoing commitment
to its long-term success as well as an attractive investment
opportunity. We are pleased to be part of this unique and strong
partnership, led by Cerberus," said Michael Klein, chief
executive officer of the Global Banking Unit of Citigroup Corporate
and Investment Banking.
The GMAC board of directors will have 13 members - six appointed
by the consortium; four appointed by GM; and three independent
members. GMAC will continue to be managed by its existing executive
management.
GM expects that the introduction of a new controlling investor
for GMAC, new equity capital at GMAC, and significantly reduced
inter-company exposures to GM will provide GMAC with a solid
foundation to improve its current credit rating. GM and GMAC
expect that these actions will de-link the GMAC credit ratings
from those of GM.
About GM
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world's largest automaker,
has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded
in 1908, GM today employs about 327,000 people around the world.
With global headquarters in Detroit, GM manufactures its cars
and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and
trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick,
Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac,
Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. More information on GM can be found
at www.gm.com.
About Cerberus
Established in 1992, Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. is one
of the world's leading private investment firms with $18 billion
in assets under management for individual and institutional investors,
including state and corporate pension funds, insurance companies,
foundations and endowments. Through its team of more than 275
investment and operations professionals, Cerberus specializes
in providing both financial resources and operational expertise
to help transform undervalued companies into industry leaders
for long-term success and value creation. Cerberus is headquartered
in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta,
Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei. More information
on Cerberus can be found at www.cerberuscapital.com.
About GMAC
General Motors Acceptance Corporation and its subsidiaries, operating
under the umbrella GMAC Financial Services, provide automotive
financing, commercial finance, insurance and mortgage products,
banking, and real estate services, and have a presence in more
than 40 nations. GMAC has extended more than $1.4 trillion in
credit to finance more than 162 million vehicles.
About Citigroup
Citigroup, the leading global financial services company, has
some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more
than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments
and institutions with a broad range of financial products and
services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate
and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management.
Major brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella
include
Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney and Banamex.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.
About Aozora Bank
Aozora Bank Limited is a leading provider of lending, securitization,
business and asset revitalization, asset management, loan syndication
and investment advisory services and products to financial institution,
and corporate and retail customers. Originally established in
1957 as the Nippon Fudosan Bank, Ltd., the bank changed its name
in 2001. In 2003, it became majority owned by Cerberus NCB Acquisition,
LP.
Forward-Looking Statements
In this report and in related comments by management of GM,
our use of the words "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "forecast," "initiative," "objective," "plan," "goal," "project," "outlook," "priorities," "target," "intend," "evaluate," "pursue," "seek," "may," "would," "could," "should," "believe," "potential," "continue," "designed," "impact," or
the negative of any of those words or 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 when
made, these statements are not guarantees of any events or
financial results, and GM's actual results may differ materially
due to
numerous important factors that may be revised or supplemented
in subsequent reports on SEC Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such factors
include, among others, the following:
-
The ability of GM to realize production efficiencies, to achieve
reductions in costs as a result of the turnaround restructuring
and health care cost reductions and to implement capital expenditures
at levels and times planned by management;
- Receipt of regulatory
approvals needed to complete the Acquisition;
- The pace of product
introductions;
- Market acceptance of GM's new products;
- Significant changes in the
competitive environment and the effect of competition in
the Corporation's markets, including
on GM's pricing policies;
- Our ability to maintain adequate
liquidity and financing sources and an appropriate level
of debt;
- Restrictions
on GMAC's and ResCap's ability to pay dividends and prepay
subordinated debt obligations
to us;
- Changes in the existing, or the adoption of new,
laws, regulations, policies or other activities
of governments,
agencies and similar
organizations where such actions may affect
the production, licensing, distribution or sale of our products,
the cost thereof or applicable
tax rates;
- Costs and risks associated with litigation;
- The final results of
investigations and inquiries by the SEC;
- Changes in our accounting
principles, or their application or interpretation, and our
ability to make estimates
and the assumptions underlying the estimates,
including the
range of
estimates for the Delphi pension benefit
guarantees, which could result in an impact on earnings;
- Changes
in relations with unions and employees/retirees and the legal
interpretations of the agreements
with those unions
with regard to employees/retirees;
- Negotiations
and bankruptcy court actions with respect to Delphi's obligations
to
GM, negotiations
with respect
to GM's
obligations
under the pension benefit guarantees
to Delphi employees, and GM's ability to recover
any
indemnity claims
against Delphi;
- Labor strikes or work
stoppages at GM or its key suppliers such as Delphi
or
financial
difficulties
at GM's key
suppliers such as Delphi;
- Additional
credit rating downgrades and the effects thereof;
- The effect
of a potential sale or other extraordinary transaction involving
GMAC
on the results of
GM's and GMAC's operations
and liquidity;
- Other factors affecting
financing and insurance operating segments'
results of operations
and financial condition
such as credit
ratings, adequate access
to the market, changes in the residual
value of
off-lease vehicles,
changes in U.S.
government-sponsored mortgage
programs or disruptions in the markets in
which our mortgage subsidiaries
operate, and
changes in
our contractual servicing
rights;
- Shortages
of and price increases for fuel; and
- Changes in economic conditions,
commodity prices, currency
exchange rates or
political stability
in the markets
in which we operate.
In addition, GMAC's actual results may differ materially due to
numerous important factors that are described in GMAC's most
recent report on SEC Form 10-K, which may be revised or supplemented
in
subsequent reports on SEC Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Such factors include,
among others, the following:
- The ability of GM to complete a
transaction regarding a controlling interest in GMAC while
maintaining a significant stake in GMAC,
securing separate credit ratings and low cost funding to
sustain growth for GMAC and ResCap, and maintaining the mutually
beneficial
relationship between GMAC and GM;
- Significant changes in the
competitive environment and the effect of competition in
the Corporation's markets, including
on the Corporation's
pricing policies;
- Our ability to maintain adequate financing
sources;
- Our ability to maintain an appropriate level of debt;
- The profitability
and financial condition of GM, including changes in production
or sales of GM vehicles, risks based
on GM's contingent
benefit guarantees and the possibility of labor strikes
or work stoppages at GM or at key suppliers such as Delphi;
- Funding
obligations under GM and its subsidiaries' qualified U.S.
defined benefits pension plans;
- Restrictions on ResCap's ability to pay
dividends and prepay subordinated debt obligations to us;
- Changes
in the residual value of off-lease vehicles;
- Changes in U.S.
government-sponsored mortgage programs or disruptions in
the markets in which our mortgage
subsidiaries operate;
- Changes in our contractual
servicing rights;
- Costs and risks associated with litigation;
- Changes in our accounting
assumptions that may require or that result from changes
in the accounting
rules
or their application,
which could result in an impact on earnings;
- Changes
in the credit ratings of GMAC or GM;
- The threat of natural calamities;
- Changes in economic conditions,
currency exchange rates or political stability
in the markets in
which we operate;
and
- Changes in the existing, or the
adoption of new, laws, regulations,
policies
or other activities
of governments,
agencies and similar
organizations.
Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements. GM undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or other such factors that affect the
subject of these statements, except where expressly required by
law.
Contacts:
Toni Simonetti, General Motors, 212-418-6380 or mobile 917-822-3392
toni.simonetti@gm.com
Jerry Dubrowski, General Motors, 212-418-6261 or mobile 917-544-4885
jerry.dubrowski@gm.com
Joanne Krell, GMAC Financial Services, 313-665-2443 or mobile 313-378-9271
joanne.k.krell@gm.com
For Cerberus:
Peter Duda, Weber Shandwick, 917-822-1553
pduda@webershandwick.com
J.J. Rissi, Weber Shandwick, 917-587-7090
jjrissi@webershandwick.com
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