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With a $15.5 billion loss, can GM or its CEO survive?

General Motors (NYSE: GM) posted a $15.5 billion loss in its second quarter. This was much worse than analysts had expected. With its stock opening 8% lower, GM stock has lost 84% of its market value since CEO Rick Wagoner began that job on June 1, 2000. His failure to prepare GM for high gasoline prices, as Toyota Motors (NYSE: TM) has done, makes me wonder whether GM's board is asleep at the switch.

GM's North American results were really bad. The New York Times reports it lost $4.4 billion and its revenues plunged 33% from $29.7 billion to $19.8 billion. But Wagoner has promoted cost reduction plans. In June, Wagoner announced that GM would close four assembly plants making pickups and SUVs by 2010 and cut vehicle production by 500,000. Then, on July 15, he detailed a 20% cut in "salaried personnel costs, the elimination of health-care coverage for white-collar retirees past the age of 65, and cuts in advertising and marketing budgets and capital expenditures," according to the Times.

Some Administration officials have been touting the wonders of a cheap dollar as if that will save our industries from a collapsing domestic economy. They should think again. Meanwhile, it is a testament to Wagoner's board relationships that there have not been calls for a new CEO. There is absolutely no way that GM can cut its way to prosperity. He has led GM into a situation where his choices are to cut costs or to file for bankruptcy. During the booming SUV and truck years, Wagoner could have invested the profits in energy efficient vehicles.

His failure to do so has jeopardized GM and should end his role as its CEO.

Peter Cohan is President of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter. He has no financial interest in the securities mentioned.

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Last updated: October 16, 2008: 12:54 AM

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