Fiat Chrysler loses its driving force
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was facing an uncertain future even before the man who led its unlikely turnaround became gravely ill.
The company was forced to hastily replace Sergio Marchionne, who led the company for 14 years, over the weekend and must find a way to deal with its own shortcomings without him — even as the auto industry experiences changes that would be challenging enough under the best of circumstances.
Now, the hard decisions fall to the new chief executive, Mike Manley, who has been running the arm of the company that is easily its best reason for optimism.
The Italian-American automaker has reported steady earnings, driven by the Jeep and Ram brands that have been run by Manley. But the Fiat, Dodge and Chrysler nameplates contribute little to its bottom line. The company lags its rivals in China, the world’s largest auto market, and gets three-quarters of its profits from North America, where the entire industry is experiencing a slowdown.
Competitors like General Motors and Ford Motor have sped ahead with development of electric vehicles and self-driving technology, while Fiat Chrysler has been slow to do the same. It does not operate its own financing company, a competitive advantage for its rivals who are able to offer attractive discounted loans and leases.
And the possibility that President Donald Trump could push for tariffs on imports of cars and auto parts has sent uncertainty rippling through the entire industry.
“Sergio has done an incredible job revitalizing the company since Chrysler’s bankruptcy in 2009,” said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst at Kelley Blue Book, an auto research firm. “But there’s more work to be do. There’s still a lot that needs to be addressed.”
Now Fiat Chrysler, which has seen its stock lose 20 per cent of its value since January, must do it without Marchionne, 66, who became incapacitated from complications after shoulder surgery July 5. The company declined to comment on Marchionne’s condition, but the decision to replace him on a Saturday was a clear sign that his prognosis was poor.
Fiat Chrysler will provide a fresh glimpse of its finances Wednesday when it reports its second-quarter results. Wall Street analysts expect a rise in earnings, driven almost exclusively by robust Jeep and Ram truck sales. A year ago, it reported second-quarter net income of 1.2 billion euros on revenue of 27.9 billion euros.
The company’s profitability is perhaps the central issue that Manley will have to tackle. Profit amounted to about six per cent of Fiat Chrysler’s revenue last year, well short of the 11 per cent achieved by General Motors. In June, Marchionne and his executive team laid out a business plan that calls for spending 45 billion euros to develop more than two dozen new vehicles, including electric models, all while slashing costs by nine billion euros — a tough balancing act for an automaker. The goal is to more than double its profit margin by 2022.
U.S. dealers expressed confidence in Manley. “We’re thrilled with his selection,” said Wes Lutz, owner of a Chrysler Dodge Jeep franchise in Jackson, Mich., and chair of the National Automobile Dealers Association. “He’s passionate about product. He’s worked on the retail side, so he understands dealers. Any time you have a CEO who understands dealers, you usually have good market share, so I’m excited about Mike Manley.”
Manley, who was not available for an interview, has the unenviable task of replacing Marchionne, a larger-than-life executive who quoted both philosophers and pop music lyrics with ease, and pushed his workers to match his boundless energy.
Lindland said Manley “is a different kind of character.”
“He’s quieter,” Lindland said. “Nobody has the force of personality that Sergio had, but Mike can motivate people. He’s been doing that at Jeep.”
Manley took over Jeep in 2011 and has nearly tripled its global sales. The company expects to sell 1.9 million Jeeps this year, and its models are now produced in 10 plants in six countries. When Manley took over, Jeeps were only made in four U.S. plants.