Daimler AG

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Daimler AG
Type Public (FWB: DAI, NYSE: DAI, TYO: 7663)
Founded 1998
Headquarters Flag of Germany Stuttgart, Germany
Key people Flag of Germany Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman
Industry Auto & Truck Manufacturers
Products Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Maybach, Smart, Western Star, Freightliner, Orion Bus, more
Revenue €151.6 billion (2006)
Net income €3.227 billion (2006)
Employees 270,000 (approx.) (2007)
Website daimler.com

Daimler AG (ISIN: DE0007100000) (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG) is a German car corporation and the world's thirteenth largest car manufacturer. By revenue it is the largest German company. As well as automobiles, Daimler manufactures trucks and provides financial services through its Daimler Financial Services arm. The company also owns major stakes in aerospace group EADS, auto engineers McLaren Group, Japanese truck maker Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and US automaker Chrysler Holding LLC.

DaimlerChrysler was founded in 1998 when Mercedes-Benz manufacturer Daimler-Benz (1926-1998) of Stuttgart, Germany merged with the US-based Chrysler Corporation. The deal created a new entity, DaimlerChrysler. However, the buyout failed to produce the trans-Atlantic automotive powerhouse dealmakers had hoped for, and DaimlerChrysler announced on 14 May 2007 that it would sell Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management of New York, a private equity firm that specializes in restructuring troubled companies, effectively unwinding the original transaction.[1] On October 4, 2007 a DaimlerChrysler Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting approved the renaming of the company. From October 5, 2007, the company has been titled Daimler AG.[2] The US company adopted the name Chrysler LLC when the sale completed on 3 August 2007.

Daimler produces cars and trucks under the brands of Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Smart, Freightliner and many others.

Contents

Chrysler has suffered a series of setbacks in recent years, culminating in DaimlerChrysler's agreement to sell the unit to Cerberus Capital Management in May 2007 for US$6 billion. Through most of its history, Chrysler has been the third largest of the "Big 3" US auto makers, but in January 2007, DaimlerChrysler, excluding its luxury Mercedes and Maybach lines, also outsold traditionally second place Ford, though behind General Motors and Toyota.

Chrysler reported losses of US$1.5 billion in 2006. It then announced plans to lay off 13,000 employees in mid-February 2007, close a major assembly plant and reduce production at other plants in order to restore profitability by 2008.[3]

The merger was contentious with investors launching lawsuits over whether the transaction was the 'merger of equals' that senior management claimed or actually amounted to a Daimler-Benz takeover of Chrysler. A class action investor lawsuit was settled in August 2003 for US$300 million while a suit by billionaire investor activist Kirk Kerkorian was dismissed on April 7, 2005.[4] The transaction claimed the job of its architect, Chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp, who resigned at the end of 2005 in response to the fall of the company's share price following the transaction. The merger was also the subject of a book Taken for a Ride: How Daimler-Benz Drove Off With Chrysler, (2000) by Bill Vlasic and Bradley A. Stertz.[5]

Another issue of contention is whether the merger delivered promised synergies and successfully integrated the two businesses. As late as 2002, DaimlerChrysler appeared to run two independent product lines. Later that year, the company launched products that appear to integrate elements from both sides of the company, including the Chrysler Crossfire, which used extensive Mercedes parts and the Dodge Sprinter/Freightliner Sprinter, a re-badged Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

DaimlerChrysler had reportedly approached other carmakers and investment groups to sell Chrysler in early 2007. General Motors was reported to be a suitor while Volkswagen, the Renault-Nissan auto alliance, and Hyundai Motor Company had said that they weren't interested in buying the company.

On August 3, 2007, DaimlerChysler completed the sale of Chrysler Group to Cerberus Capital Management. The original agreement stated that Cerberus would take an 80.1 percent stake in the new company, Chrysler Holding LLC. DaimlerChrysler changed its name to Daimler AG and retained the remaining 19.9% stake in the separated Chrysler.[6]

The terms saw Daimler pay Cerberus US$650 million to take Chrysler and associated liabilities off its hands. This is a remarkable reverse in fortunes on the US$36 billion paid to acquire Chrysler in 1998. Of the US$7.4 billion purchase price, Cerberus Capital Management will invest US$5 billion in Chrysler Holdings and US$1.05 billion in Chrysler’s financial unit. The de-merged Daimler AG received US$1.35 billion directly from Cerberus but directly invested US$2 billion in Chrysler itself.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche has been the Chairman of Daimler and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars since January 1, 2006 as well as member of Board of Management since 1998. He was former President and CEO of the Chrysler, LLC (previously owned by Daimler AG), he is best known in the United States as Dr. Z from a Chrysler advertising campaign.

Current members of the Board of Management of Daimler AG are:
Dr. Dieter Zetsche: Chairman of the Board as well as Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Gunther Fleig: Head of Human Resources and Labor Relations.
Dr. Rudiger Grube: Head of Corporate Development.
Andreas Renschler: Head of Daimler Trucks.
Bodo Uebber: Head of Finance and Controlling as well as Financial Services.
Dr. Thomas Weber: Head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development.

Current members of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG are: Heinrich Flegel, Juergen Hambrecht, Thomas Klebe, Erich Klemm, Arnaud Lagardère, Jürgen Langer, Helmut Lense, Sari Baldauf, William Owens, Gerd Rheude, Wolf Jürgen Röder, Manfred Schneider, Stefan Schwaab, Bernhard Walter, Lynton Wilson, Mark Wössner, Manfred Bischoff, Clemens Börsig and Uwe Werner. Dr Manfred Bischoff serves as the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG and Erich Klemm as Vice-Chairman.

The largest voting shareholder of Daimler is the State of Kuwait, with 7.0% (as at 30 September 2007), Deutsche Bank with 4.35% (as at 2 May 2007) and followed by United Arab Emirates with 2.0% (as at 1 January 2006).[7]

The regional breakdown of shareholdings as at 30 September 2007 was:[7]

  • 36.7% Germany
  • 36.2% Other Europe
  • 19.8% USA
  • 7.30% Rest of world

Daimler sells automobiles under the following marques worldwide:

  • Mercedes-Benz Vans
    • Mercedes-Benz (vans group)

Daimler currently holds interests in the following companies:

  1. ^ Daimler AG (14 May 2007). Cerberus Takes Over Majority Interest in Chrysler Group and Related Financial Services Business for EUR 5.5 Billion ($7.4 billion) from DaimlerChrysler. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-06.
  2. ^ Daimler AG (4 October 2007). Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of DaimlerChrysler Approves Renaming as Daimler AG. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-06.
  3. ^ "Chrysler Announces Major Downsizing - Daily Auto Insider", CarAndDriver.com, 15 February 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-15. 
  4. ^ "DaimlerChrysler settles investor lawsuit", CarAndDriver.com, 25 August 2003. Retrieved on 2007-07-23. 
  5. ^ "Taken for a Ride", BusinessWeek, 5 June 2000. Retrieved on 2007-11-06. 
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ a b Shareholder Structure. Daimler AG. Retrieved on 2007-11-06.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
v • d • e
Daimler AG
Mercedes-Benz Cars Maybach  · Mercedes-Benz  · Mercedes-AMG  · Smart
Daimler Trucks Detroit Diesel  · Freightliner  · Mercedes-Benz  · Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus  · Sterling Trucks  · Western Star
Daimler Buses Mercedes-Benz buses  · Orion  · Setra  · Thomas Built Buses
Mercedes-Benz Vans Mercedes-Benz
Holdings in Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus (85%)  · Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation (50.1%)  · McLaren Group (40%)  · EADS (22.41%)  · Chrysler LLC (19.9%)
v • d • e
Flag of Germany DAX companies of Germany
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