Bridgestone, Toyo to reduce cross-holdings in each other

Hyogo, Japan – Bridgestone Corp. and Toyo Tire Corp. have agreed to sell around half of the shares they hold in each other, Toyo has announced.

Toyo said it plans to sell nearly 1.95 million of the Bridgestone shares it bought in 2008. 

At the same time, Toyo said Bridgestone is expected to sell half of the 10 million shares of Toyo it bought in 2008. 

After the share sales — expected to take place in February 2020 — Toyo said the business and capital alliances between the two companies will remain intact.

“Amid dramatic ongoing changes in the operating environment for tire manufacturers,” Toyo said, “the two companies will continue to advance their partnership over the mid- and long-term, in order to sustain enhancement of corporate value.”

Toyo said it expects to realise a gain of about $37 million (€33.4 million) on the sale; thereafter it will continue to hold about 1.9 million Bridgestone shares, or about 0.25% of that company’s outstanding shares.  

Bridgestone has, as yet, not commented on the deal publicly. Its shareholding in Toyo represents 6.49% of Toyo’s outstanding shares, Toyo said.

At the time the alliances were announced in 2008, the companies said they had formed project teams to look at specific areas of tire manufacture and supply.

Target areas included: advanced productions systems; joint purchasing of raw materials; sharing production resources; logistics and business other than tires.

Since the alliances started, the two companies have achieved synergies through the effective use of each other’s strengths and management resources, Toyo said.

This, it noted, has included the “development of tire production technology” and “procurement of raw and other materials and equipment.” 

Both parties have, thereby, enhanced their respective corporate value and establish a stable relationship with mutual trust, Toyo said. 

Toyo said it is re-evaluating its consolidated earnings forecasts for the year ending 31 Dec, to take into account this sale of stock and other factors. 

If the need to revise earnings forecasts arises, relevant information shall be disclosed immediately, Toyo said. 

This announcement comes a year after Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Corp. increased its shareholding in Toyo to 20% from 3.05% as part of a wide-ranging strategic partnership.

In particular, the goal is to enhance Toyo's global distribution assets, help it compete more effectively in the evolving mobility sector and fund capacity expansions.

Tokyo-based Mitsubishi spent over $450 million to buy 26.9 million newly issued shares.

In its most recent quarterly earnings report, Toyo reported a 13.9% drop in operating income, to $246 million, on 2.6% lower sales of $2.58 billion. 

For the full fiscal year, Toyo is forecasting a 10.4% drop in operating income on 3.4% lower sales.