Taking on Volkswagen and Toyota on a global scale is a very ambitious plan; even more so when the company you’re running is currently trying to raise the funds to do so.
That’s exactly what Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne plans to do. In fact, he has set a goal to increase the group’s annual sales by 60 percent, to 7 million units, and its net profit five-fold by 2018.
Last Friday, FCA launched a US$2.5 billion convertible bond and a share sale, in order to cut its debts and invest in future growth. The group wants to invest US$59 billion in the next five years in order to transform Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Jeep into global brands.
According to Reuters, Marchionne, who started a four-day meeting marathon with investors in New York, will also give shares of Ferrari when the latter is spun off and a 10 percent of its stock listed in the market, to Fiat shareholders and investors who buy the convertible bond.
Since October 29, when Marchionne announced his plans, FCA shares’ price has risen by more than 40 percent. Traders say that investors are attracted by the prospect of the Ferrari shares that will become available next year: “If, as the market believes, the bond and shares have de-facto already been placed, then the only way to get Ferrari shares is to buy FCA stock and that’s what is happening”, a Milan-based trader commented.