Roads & Transportation

Toyota plots yet another jittery ride-hail route

13 June 2018

The Japanese carmaker is investing $1 bln into Asian startup Grab. It’s the latest in a slew of deals that mostly reflect manufacturer fears about where things are headed in autonomous driving and beyond. As GM’s fading Lyft alliance shows, though, the path is far from clear.

CEO exit takes Samsonite rebuttal only so far

1 June 2018

The $5 bln luggage-maker parted ways with its boss after a short-seller revealed he didn’t hold a doctorate despite sometimes being called “Dr”. Samsonite’s efforts to knock down other accounting and governance allegations could take longer after it lost the benefit of the doubt.

Greyhound owner’s turnaround faces lengthy delay

31 May 2018

Bus and rail operator FirstGroup’s CEO resigned and its shares fell after it reported a loss, due to competition from low-cost airlines. It can cut costs and sell assets, but tough markets and management upheaval don’t help. A sale looks easier, but may not deliver a good price.

Hyundai U-turn puts Asia investors in higher gear

21 May 2018

The South Korean conglomerate slammed the brakes on a $9 bln restructuring after investors revolted. It's a big step in a region where shareholders are often given short shrift. Alongside other recent upsets, Hyundai's is welcome evidence the balance of power is shifting.

VW’s new boss has $184 bln of low-hanging fruit

26 April 2018

CEO Herbert Diess kick-started an overhaul of the carmaker. Cutting jobs will be hard given VW’s union-heavy board. But by slashing the group’s excessive spending on materials like steel, Diess could squeeze suppliers instead. That would make a big difference to its thin margins.

Peugeot investors jump the gun on Opel turnaround

24 April 2018

The French carmaker’s shares trade at a premium to European peers despite its below-average operating margin. Investors are already counting on a turnaround at Opel, the loss-making business bought from GM last year. A German labour dispute means there’s room for disappointment.

India is prize worth keeping for Uber

20 April 2018

The ride-hailing giant says it won’t exit the market with a minority stake as it did in Southeast Asia and China. Uber has a narrower gap with local rival Ola and the country can serve as a good test-bed for new ideas. Without India, Uber would also look less global in an IPO.

Cox: Belt and Road paving way to worrying excess

17 April 2018

Hallmarks of speculative exuberance abound with China's plan to recreate modern Silk Road trade routes. There are fancy new banking jobs, silly conferences and creative investment ideas. The danger is the $1.5 trln initiative devolves into an epic era of capital misallocation.

Apollo’s Greyhound bet looks past UK politics

12 April 2018

Transport operator FirstGroup has rejected an approach from the U.S. buyout giant. The offer is bold given the UK backlash against rail privatisation. But the company’s American operations, including the iconic long-haul buses, help support its 1.3 bln pound market value.

Meituan deal sets pace in Chinese bicycle-sharing

4 April 2018

The food-delivering, ticket-booking, ride-sharing app is buying Mobike for $2.7 bln. Given the competitive and cash-burning realities, investors should be relieved at the sale. For rival Ofo, which just raised nearly $900 mln more from Alibaba and others, the riding gets tougher.

GKN owners should stick with the devil they know

23 March 2018

The UK engineer’s shareholders must choose whether to accept Melrose Industries’ $11 bln hostile cash-and-share bid. The buyer has a record for turnarounds, while GKN has missed targets. But Melrose’s plans are vague and riskier. GKN deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Daimler’s creepy Chinese suitor scrubs up well

21 March 2018

Geely’s earnings doubled to $1.7 billion in 2017, as its SUVs flew off the lots. Chairman Li Shufu’s surprise stake-building ruffled feathers in Germany. But Li’s company is trouncing Daimler’s current local partner, BAIC. That might in time prompt a rethink in Stuttgart.

D.C. subway could ride Hong Kong’s MTR

20 March 2018

The Washington Metro's equipment and safety woes are a smoking symbol of U.S. infrastructure ineptitude. Market-based fixes would be wise. Other cities have hired Hong Kong's mass-transit provider for help, but its property and punctuality playbook also may be replicable.

Qantas can ride an Australian recovery

22 February 2018

The flag carrier has pulled away from regional rivals, with impressive cash generation and record pre-tax profit. Shares are up 70 percent from early 2017, and it is renewing its fleet. Still, higher oil prices and any extra domestic competition could yet mean turbulence.

Old activist needs to rent new strategy for Avis

16 February 2018

Hedge fund SRS is waging a proxy fight for three seats on the car-rental company’s board. Avis is a ripe target, having struggled with price pressures and missed targets. But an eight-year investor with two directors in place already isn’t the most persuasive agent of change.

Nissan’s partners can help it shift to higher gear

8 February 2018

The $42 bln Japanese automaker's operating profit tanked, as it discounted cars in America and a domestic inspection scandal took its toll. That will keep its laggard valuation stuck in neutral. Nissan's challenge is to make the most of its alliances with Renault and Mitsubishi.

Ola puts SoftBank in back seat with overseas drive

5 February 2018

The Indian ride-hailing outfit wants a slice of the action in Australia. The intrusion into one of Uber’s strongholds will irk SoftBank, which is a big investor in both firms. The Japanese group’s minority stakes clearly are not enough to stop fights between taxi startups.

Gasoline tax is obvious infrastructure piggy bank

18 January 2018

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants a 25 cents-a-gallon increase to raise $400 bln for investment in transportation. It seems a contrary proposal coming from a group whose members just secured huge tax cuts. But it makes sense: American gas is cheap, and a higher levy is overdue.

Indonesian ride-hailing unicorn races to relevance

18 January 2018

Go-Jek is bringing in new backers including Alphabet and Temasek, sources say, as it expands its platform model across Southeast Asia. To ward off local rivals and be a serious contender in a cutthroat business, the now $4 bln startup has to grow quickly. Deep pockets help.

Uber’s next ride-share could be in Southeast Asia

17 January 2018

After struggling in China and Russia, the app operator swapped its businesses there for stakes in Didi and Yandex. Another sensible partner would be $6 bln-plus Grab, which shares a backer in SoftBank. As Uber aims for an IPO, it's a good region in which to cut further losses.