DETROIT – General Motors Co. is strategizing for an inevitable economic downturn by paring down dealer inventory and maintaining a cash safety net, Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said Wednesday.
Jacobson’s comments to a panel of auto insiders at the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank’s Detroit branch provide insight into industry leaders’ expectations for the broader economy, as well as reassurance that the Detroit company is taking steps to remain resilient in tougher times.
“We’re going to see a weak economy at some point. I hope it’s not this year, hope it’s not the year after that. But it’s coming,” Jacobson said. “We can’t dodge economic cycles, but what we can do is try to minimize the self-imposed cyclicality that we’ve seen in the industry.”…