General Motors, citing dramatically reduced industry-wide sales, says its net loss was $6 billion for the first quarter of 2009. The Detroit-based automaker, which is expected by many analysts to be forced into bankruptcy in the coming months, lost $3.3 billion over the same period last year.
GM also lost nearly 4 percent of its market share during the first quarter of 2009. The automaker commanded just under 18 percent of the share for the first three months of 2009.
The automaker spent $10.2 billion more than it took in. The automaker has a reserve of $11.6 billion in cash and marketable securities.
Revenue was down to nearly half of what it was during the same quarter last year, reflecting the dramatic drop-off in new car sales. The automaker said its revenue was about $22.4 billion, down from the $42.4 billion during the same period last year.
“Our first quarter results underscore the importance of executing GM’s revised Viability Plan, which goes further and faster to lower our break-even point,” said Fritz Henderson, president and CEO, in a statement.
“ Our plan is designed to fix the fundamentals of our business by restructuring and deleveraging our balance sheet, enhancing our revenue capability and dramatically reducing costs. It’s focused on taking care of customers every single day, winning with four core brands, and investing in new products and technology, while at the same time accelerating actions to lower our cost structure to return GM to profitability quickly.”
GM’s financing arm, GMAC, reported a net loss of $675 million during the first quarter.
The figures do not take into account the automaker’s relatively strong April, where Chevrolet topped arch rival Toyota in individual line sales, since the first quarter ended March 31.



05/07, 8:07 AM
posted by:
carstuff
Better than expected but BADDDD. Actually a pretty amazing number since they lost half their revenue vs. last year.
Honda lost $3 billion in this same quarter, but then again they are a lot smaller company and do not rely on large trucks as much.
05/07, 9:30 AM
posted by:
Borat
Since GM exists only as subsidiary of US Government the loss is theoretical. Loss indicates loss to owner(s), shareholders are bankrupt already and their shares are worthless. Now the government assumed financial responsibility for the company: where have you seen state designed to be profitable?
05/07, 9:38 AM
posted by:
A4
I think the fat lady has sung.
05/07, 9:40 AM
posted by:
moparsalesman1
@ carstuff
yeah but 3 billion is more to Honda being smaller, its hurts as as bad if not worse.
05/07, 9:42 AM
posted by:
A4
that is true though, carstuff, their revenue dropped $20 billion but they managed to only lose an additional $3 billion or so. it is quite amazing if they’ve managed that much of a turnaround in a year.
05/07, 10:03 AM
posted by:
tripleonefive
A4 SJ Caddy V ??
I love how A4 is so gentle when on GM but in the Toyota thread he was tearing them apart. Bias for the amerian product ?
05/07, 10:13 AM
posted by:
CADDY-V
111:
Don’t act like your comments our not bias.
05/07, 10:38 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I wonder if it’s just coincidence that all the Camaros in that picture are painted red? Must have been another cost saving measure seeing as it’s the same color as their books.
05/07, 11:07 AM
posted by:
jdasch1
When a company is losing 67 million a DAY how can anyone call that good? They need to shed the debt and reorganize. All of the posturing with the bondholders and the Unions with the President is all bull…no go . The bankruptcy laws are here for a reason. When times get bad and bad consecutive management teams have racked up bad long term ideas (union contracts, finance programs, loser vehicles), you either are left with a takeover target from a competitor, or BANKRUPTCY! I can’t wait for it all to be over so we can get on with the excitement of new cars and not finance issues.
05/07, 11:24 AM
posted by:
Borat
Johnny, red is the color of communist states: China, USSR,… Since company is controlled and owned by the people…
05/07, 11:39 AM
posted by:
Kid Icarus
Ouch
05/07, 12:07 PM
posted by:
carstuff
1115, bias by an American to an American company? My gosh we should string him uip by the neck!!!
canuck, since red is the most expensive pigment doubt that is true. Most likely that is what Chevy feels will be the most popular color and that is the color picked for the press reviews, though I bet there were othere colors there also.
Sure is sharp though.
05/07, 12:08 PM
posted by:
A4
My damn name is A4, i have a clear bias for the Germans if anything, and if anyone has a bias it is you. You disagree with me that it is impressive that they can lose $20bil in revenue but managed to make up $17bil of it in other areas in a matter of one year? I find that to be significant progress in the right direction, regardless of impending bankruptcy; and I’d be hard pressed to find someone (with a logical mind) that disagrees with me. If their revenue had maintained the $42bil of the previous year they would have been well into a very profitable quarter. I hate toyota for the mostly inferior cars that they make and for the bias people like you have toward their mostly inferior appliances. People like you think they are unstoppable and I applaud the fact that they are going to feel the pains of market failure just like everyone else has. The Camry has to be one of the worst options in its segment and its starting to show. Cars like the Malibu and Fusion go overlooked thanks to people like you and it doesn’t help their situation at all. Detroit is making the best cars they ever have, theres no arguement there, certainly better than anything toyota makes (except maybe the Tacoma/4Runner, which are great products). Get over yourself 1115, you’re an uneducated bitch.
05/07, 1:12 PM
posted by:
cor1977
jdasch1 – I agree!! Why money has been wasted over the last 5mos on something that was inevitable from the start is beyond me. I hope that if/when they re-emerge it will be something to look forward too.
A4/1115 – it’s a matter of opinion.
For me personally, in ‘07, when it came time to look for a decent 4 cyl/4 dr – I looked at the options available – Camry, Altima, Accord, Malibu, Milan, Mazda 6 and Passat. While I agree that the Fusion/Milan/Malibu are good products from their respective manufacturers, they didn’t quite measure up in terms of I was looking for. The Fusion/Maz6/Milan are nice, but were too small. Personally of those 3, I liked the look of the 6 better and you could also get it as a 5 door. The Malibu, arguably the BEST looking car GM has done since the original Aurora (IMO), while nice I didn’t care for the heavy steering, the 4 spd auto and the hard door plastics. In addition, no rear armrest – what gives?!?!? So that left me with the foreign crew. Now, I’m no ‘import fanboy’ and growing up my family has had both American & Foreign (Ford, Chrysler, Porsche, BMW, Nissan, Honda, Infiniti). The Camry was nice and you could tell that they place a great deal of attention on refinement as it was probably the quietest vehicle out of my selections – but I didn’t consider it b/c @ 29, I felt older than my years. The Accord, again nice but I didn’t care for the overall look of the car. I ended up with the Passat as It offered what I needed – space, GREAT 2.0T, good feature content, a 6 spd manual and it looks FANTASTIC.
My hope for the D3 is that they fix what is needed, have products that consumers actually WANT and more importantly, can afford. I would like to see them tap into their UK divisions MORE – some of the BEST looking products I think. I truly believe that GM is on the right track and yes, they’ve gotten spanked over the years – but they can do it. Until then, I’ll be keeping my Passat.
05/07, 1:47 PM
posted by:
atoms
come on people, lets be civilized about this, if were going to b**** about bias comments, let those comments be from some one with “NEED MORE…” incorporated into their screen name
05/07, 2:06 PM
posted by:
klazterp
Is this the first quarter in a long time that Ford’s revenue topped GM’s?
Ford 24,8 billion
GM 22,4 billion
05/07, 2:09 PM
posted by:
American_Cars_Crap
So happy to see all those tax dollars of ours going into such a shamefull corporation that both doesn’t know how to run a business, and also does not know how to build cars good enough to compete with the rest of the world. Cadillac pulling out of the European market (again) is a clear indication of its lack of ability to make cars that the rest of the world would be interested in. The only GM cars that are selling decently in the rest of the world aren’t even made by GM. Rebadged Daewoo’s and Chevy branded Isuzu pickup trucks doesn’t exactly count as a GM product. And now with the Camaro recall, I just have to say F you GM, and F you to all the garbage you build, and will continue to build untill finally you can no longer be kept afloat, and then the world will happily watch you sink to the bottom of that ocean of red ink.
05/07, 5:14 PM
posted by:
shane train
American_Cars_Crap- I’m no GM fan, but nothing you’re saying will help anything.
Stay on the internet, where you can only hurt people’s hope for the future generations.
05/07, 7:09 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
American_Cars_Crap= Anti-Need more oil for GM.
05/07, 7:09 PM
posted by:
tyler_is_aero_tt
But I agree GM still needs to get with the program and especially Chrysler. Ford is good on my hands though.
05/07, 7:39 PM
posted by:
DrFill
A4
Can’t we save your ignorance for a negative Toyota story?
Avalon, Prius, Land Cruiser, Rav4, all subpar cars?
Says who? You?
I could bash GM all day long, and they deserve it, but I am hard and fair
They’ve made some excellent products over the last 5-6 years, but you reap what you sow.
DrFill
05/07, 8:53 PM
posted by:
llt21
Hey guys, how bout we give GM 10 BILLION again and see how fast they can lose it. I mean it is only 10 BILLION. Some people think that isn’t very much.
Right CADDY-V.
Thanks GM keep it up.