时事资讯:高盛将向吉利汽车投资2.5亿美元

【英文原文】

Goldman Sachs To Invest In Geely

A Goldman Sachs Group Inc.-managed private equity fund is investing about $250 million in Geely Holding Group's Hong Kong-listed arm to fund the Chinese auto maker's growth ambitions, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd. is expected to announce the investment by Goldman Sachs Capital Partners on Monday, a Geely executive said.

The Hong Hong-listed Geely arm plans to use the money to fund its working capital as it expands. That could free up capital for its parent to bid for Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo unit.

People familiar with the matter have said Ford was likely to pick Geely Holding soon to take over Volvo -- a sign of Geely's global ambitions. Geely Auto confirmed earlier this month that its parent was bidding for Volvo with an unnamed state-owned investment company.

The Goldman Sachs fund is investing in convertible bonds and warrants that will give it a minority stake in the Chinese auto maker, according to the person familiar with the matter. The exact size of the stake will vary depending on whether the company hits certain targets and Goldman decides to exercise the warrants. An investment of $250 million represents around 15% of the listed arm's market capitalization of over $1.6 billion, according to FactSet Research Systems Inc., a research firm.

Geely said Wednesday that it planned to issue convertible bonds and warrants without naming Goldman Sachs Capital Partners as the buyer.

International investors have in recent months backed major Chinese auto makers, betting they may become global champions.

The Goldman fund's $250 million investment is chunky compared with typical private equity deals in China. Most deals are below $100 million because Chinese business owners rarely give up control and deals bigger than $100 million require central government approval. Private equity funds in recent months have made more investments in Chinese listed companies that need capital. Those deals don't require the same level of government approvals and due diligence needed for investments in unlisted companies.

The auto makers are looking to survive a possible wave of consolidation in China's domestic market by snatching up smaller players at home and buying into distressed brands overseas in order to expand sales both domestically and outside the country.

A unit of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. agreed last year to pay $232 million for a 10% stake in electric carmaker BYD Co. The electric car and battery maker's shares have soared this year to over HK$63 (US$8.13) a share from the HK$8 a share Berkshire paid. Earlier this year, Chery Automobile Co. secured backing from yuan-denominated private equity funds managed by CDH Investments and Bohai Industrial Investment Fund Management Co.

Hangzhou-based Geely has made substantial improvement in the engineering and quality of its vehicles since 2006 under Frank Zhao, the company's product development director, who joined Geely from the U.S. auto maker now known as Chrysler Group LLC via a separate Chinese auto maker.