Transportation

Biofuels comeback will give West a rare energy win

20 Dec 2023

Propellants from plant waste and animal fats have lost out amid an e-mobility push. Yet the difficulty of using electricity for planes and ships, and the rise of non-edible crops as feedstock, will offset food supply fears. Western groups like BP, Total and Eni will benefit.

Capital clarity would speed up Alstom’s journey

7 Dec 2023

The French train maker must cut debt by 2 bln euros to repair its balance sheet. Selling assets worth at best 1 bln euros won’t be enough to restore investor credibility while cash flow stability remains in doubt. Delaying a capital call risks hampering the group’s revival.

Capital Calls: Ferrovial/Heathrow

29 Nov 2023

Concise views on global finance: The Spanish infrastructure giant has offloaded its final 25% stake to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and private equity group Ardian for 2.4 bln pounds, but a chunky premium means the new owners should hope for a smoother ride.

Capital Calls: Goodyear, Target

15 Nov 2023

Concise views on global finance: By offloading assets, the 125-year-old tire maker is succumbing to a similar overhaul as many other iconic US industrial centenarians; the $60 bln retailer has finally taken aim at what it can control – keeping watch over inventory and costs.

Uncle Sam provides shaky base for Caterpillar

31 Oct 2023

The equipment maker beat third-quarter profit forecasts with help from Washington’s infrastructure bill. Yet half of the $550 bln package has been spent, and Caterpillar’s backlog is shrinking. Like other government-supported spending, federal aid can only help for so long.

Israel highlights fragility of new trade corridors

10 Oct 2023

The bloody conflict undermines Washington’s vision to use the country’s Haifa port to link India via Saudi Arabia to Europe. It also makes China’s pivot to the Middle East look less of a bright idea. The spoils are huge but reconfiguring trade and financial flows is hard work.

Capital Calls: Finnair

6 Oct 2023

Concise views on global finance: The state-backed airline is planning to raise 600 mln euros through a rights issue – almost as much as its current equity.

Capital Calls: Alstom cash crunch

5 Oct 2023

Concise views on global finance: The French train maker’s management is in the spotlight after it warned on free cash flow for the year, sending its shares down 35%.

Alibaba spinoff can deliver two recovery packages

4 Oct 2023

Logistics unit Cainiao’s name may mean “rookie”, but the group is profitable and weaning itself off dependence on its parent. A successful IPO valuing it at $10 bln or more would warm up Hong Kong’s market and show Alibaba’s overhaul is on track after CEO Daniel Zhang’s exit.

Instacart under-promises in hope of overdelivering

19 Sep 2023

The grocery delivery service’s shares started trading at $42 apiece, 40% higher than where it priced last night. That may seem wacky, but at $14 bln, Instacart is still reasonably valued. In this market, it’s a wise strategy for boss Fidji Simo.

Detroit profit engine could screech to a halt

14 Sep 2023

Years-long employment contracts meant auto workers missed out on post-pandemic gains. New demands could halve Ford and GM profit. The companies may prefer one-off rewards. But unions have little incentive to accept. Instead, transition plans may be wounded, and both sides pay.

Double defensive gas deal offers relative cleaning

6 Sep 2023

Canadian pipeline firm Enbridge wants to reduce dependence on transporting oil. Dominion Energy wants to concentrate on clean electricity. Selling retail gas distribution businesses for $9.4 bln to Enbridge doesn’t directly reduce emissions. But it does make both look cleaner.

Instacart’s mixed bag has valuation opportunities

28 Aug 2023

The food delivery firm is worth far less than its high point in 2021. The cost to get new customers is rising, too. But a push to sell ads, a sensible business, could help bring its valuation close to $17 bln. As long as Instacart is reasonable, it can get its listing, finally.

CFOs are stepping into a rapidly revolving door

14 Aug 2023

From Alphabet to Tesla to Walgreens, finance chiefs are moving on at a faster rate than usual. One-tenth of the 1,000 largest US companies lost their CFO in the first half. Economic whiplash and expanded job duties are both factors. Higher turnover looks here to stay.

Capital Calls: Uber’s new task

11 Jul 2023

Concise views on global finance: Under boss Dara Khosrowshahi, the company’s departing finance chief helped deliver Uber’s original vision of dominating ride-hailing. His replacement can finish the job by dialing back spending and opening a spigot of cash flow.

Shipping tax could yield $100 bln climate windfall

12 Jun 2023

The industry emits almost 3% of the world’s greenhouse gases. It’s also largely escaped taxation. A levy on emissions would encourage shippers to go green, while raising money to help poorer countries. Key meetings in the next month are the time to push the idea, says Hugo Dixon.

Indian ports will test tycoons’ safe harbour

2 Jun 2023

Sajjan Jindal’s JSW is floating India’s second-largest commercial operator. It’s less profitable than Gautam Adani’s $20 bln business where auditor Deloitte is waving a flag. In a global industry with few listed giants, appetite for this small deal will deliver its own verdict.

Shippers turn the tank around too slowly

17 May 2023

Americans are pulling back on spending after their pandemic-era shopping sprees. That's perhaps good news for inflation, but bad news for the shipping business, which is set for its biggest capacity jump since at least 2016.  As demand cools, shippers can’t pivot fast enough.

India’s airline turbulence will be felt abroad

17 May 2023

Go is the second carrier to go bust since 2019 despite a booming $12 bln industry. Blame price wars and debt-fuelled expansion. The airline’s legal battle with foreign lessors like Sumitomo will be messy too. It will raise the costs on efforts to turn India into an aviation hub.

Lyft steers closer to an Uber-takes-all world

4 May 2023

Already far behind its bigger US ride-share rival, Lyft’s dismal profit forecast makes the difference even starker. And with Uber so much more profitable, each dollar of market share Dara Khosrowshahi snatches could boost his firm’s value by multiples of what his rival would get.