GEELY BETS ON FOREIGN ACQUISITIONS TO FUEL GROWTH
BEIJING: Billionaire Li Shufu’s Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd expects the tycoon’s overseas bets from Daimler to Lotus and Volvo to help fuel growth as the Chinese carmaker targets new markets.
While Geely is boosting sales and profit in China on demand for its sport-utility vehicles, the company said yesterday it’s preparing for intensifying competition from both local and foreign brands.
That’s prompting Geely to look elsewhere, something that Li’s acquisitions could prove useful with.
As the industry moves toward electric vehicles and connected online services, Li has built out his empire by acquiring Sweden’s Volvo Car Group in 2010 and snapping up stakes in British sports carmaker Lotus Cars and Malaysia’s Proton Holdings Bhd.
Last month, the billionaire disclosed a 9.7 per cent stake in Daimler AG — making him the Mercedes-Benz maker’s largest shareholder.
Li has thus far kept those holdings separate from the publicly traded Geely.
“The numerous acquisitions in the automobile sector by the group’s parent over the past few years should provide the group substantial opportunities for technologies and cost sharing, economies of scales and new market penetration,” said Geely in a statement.
“Longer-term, these acquisitions should provide additional sources for growth of the group in the long term .”
Even with rising sales, Geely warned that competition in China is getting tougher and changes in tax legislation could weigh on demand this year.
“While we remain optimistic about the growth prospects for the Chinese passenger vehicle market, the elimination of purchase tax subsidies for fuel efficient vehicles from January this year could have some negative impact on the sales volume growth of passenger vehicles in China during the early part of the year,” said the company.