What General Motors Really Wants Investors to Know About Q4

Core Insights - General Motors (GM) reported a better-than-expected fourth quarter for 2025, highlighting its commitment to returning significant value to shareholders through dividend increases and share repurchase authorizations [2][3]. Financial Performance - GM's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street estimates, with a quarterly dividend increase to $0.18 per share, reflecting a dividend yield of approximately 0.8% [2]. - A new $6 billion share repurchase authorization was announced, adding to the $22 billion in share buybacks since 2023, which has reduced shares outstanding and increased the earnings power of remaining shares [5]. Strategic Positioning - GM's strong brands and technology-driven services have consistently generated strong cash flow, enabling the company to invest in its business, maintain a strong balance sheet, and return capital to shareholders [3]. - Despite the strong performance, GM reported a net income loss of $3.3 billion in the fourth quarter due to $7.2 billion in special charges related to realigning EV production capacity and responding to changing consumer demand and regulatory environments [6][7].