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3 Reasons to Buy This Top Auto Stock Before It's Too Late
GMGM(GM) The Motley Fool·2025-05-31 13:47

Core Viewpoint - General Motors (GM) is positioned as a strong investment opportunity due to its robust sales in full-size trucks and SUVs, significant progress in electric vehicles (EVs), and effective shareholder value return strategies. Group 1: Shareholder Value Return - GM has excelled in returning value to shareholders primarily through share repurchases, which have led to an increase in earnings per share as the number of shares outstanding declines [2] - In late 2023, GM initiated a 10billionacceleratedsharerepurchaseprogram,completedbyQ4,andapprovedanadditional10 billion accelerated share repurchase program, completed by Q4, and approved an additional 6 billion buyback in June 2024, alongside a 25% increase in its dividend [4] - The company generated 14billioninadjustedautomotivefreecashflowin2024andreturnedapproximately14 billion in adjusted automotive free cash flow in 2024 and returned approximately 7.6 billion to shareholders, maintaining liquidity for growth and strategic initiatives [5] Group 2: Electric Vehicle Progress - GM's EV sales surged by 94% in Q1, capturing a 10.4% market share in the U.S., positioning the company as the No. 2 EV seller in the country [6] - Chevrolet has emerged as the fastest-growing EV brand, with 60% of EV buyers trading in non-GM vehicles, indicating a successful brand expansion [7] - The company must continue to focus on reducing EV costs, particularly battery expenses, to enhance its business segment in the future [7] Group 3: Challenges in China - The Chinese market is experiencing a severe price war among competitors in the EV sector, adversely affecting foreign automakers, including GM [9] - GM proactively undertook a significant restructuring effort costing $5 billion, which included rightsizing operations and launching new vehicles, resulting in a 40% sequential sales increase in Q4 2024, the largest since Q2 2022 [10] Group 4: Overall Assessment - GM is currently performing well across various segments, with strong sales of gasoline-powered vehicles and expanding EV capabilities, alongside aggressive share buybacks contributing to stock price appreciation [11]