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Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

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Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

By Maki Shiraki TOYOTA CITY, Japan (Reuters) -Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda is likely to face scrutiny over a $33 billion take-private deal of a key supplier when shareholders assemble for the Japanese automaker's annual general meeting on Thursday. This year's gathering, set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. (0100 GMT), marks the first time in three years that Toyoda isn't being opposed by a shareholder proxy adviser. Nevertheless, the grandson of the automaker's founder is likely to face some tough questions about governance - if this week's meeting of supplier Toyota Industries is anything to go by. Shareholders of forklift maker Toyota Industries on Tuesday voiced disapproval of the 4.7 trillion yen ($33 billion) take-private bid from its parent that they said was unfair to minority shareholders. The world's top-selling automaker plans to take its supplier private in a complex, multi-part transaction that includes an offer price of 16,300 yen a share. While the price might be a good deal for Toyota Motor shareholders, critics of the bid, including London-based Zennor Asset Management, have raised concern about the transaction, particularly around the treatment of minority shareholders. "This was not a decision that neglected minority shareholders, but rather one that was taken with all the factors in mind," Toyota Industries' President Koichi Ito told shareholders on Tuesday. Under the deal, a new holding company will be set up. Unlisted real estate company Toyota Fudosan will invest 180 billion yen while Toyoda will invest 1 billion yen. Toyota Motor will invest 700 billion yen for non-voting preferred shares. Tuesday's meeting ran for almost two hours, Toyota Industries' longest ever, the company said. Executives also took some two dozen questions from shareholders, the most ever. Hong Kong-based Oasis Management, which has shares in both Toyota Motor and Toyota Industries, has said it would push for a higher price. Toyota has said the acquisition would allow Toyota Industries to deepen collaboration with group companies, without concerns of short-term profit targets, as Toyota itself becomes a broader "mobility company". This year, prominent proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have both recommended that shareholders re-elect Toyoda. Glass Lewis had recommended voting against him the previous two years and ISS had last year. Toyoda's position at the automaker had come under scrutiny over broader governance concerns. Neither proxy adviser gave specific reasons for the change in their recommendations this year. Toyoda has seen shareholder support slip in recent years. He was re-elected to the board with 72% backing in 2024, in what he later said marked the lowest support rating ever for a Toyota director. That was down from 85% and 96%, respectively, in the prior two years. In a July 2024 interview by Toyota's own news outlet, Toyoda said his seat on the board could be at risk if shareholder support continued to fall. Toyota Industries, formerly Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, was founded in 1926 to make automatic looms. An automotive division within the company was set up and later spun off as Toyota Motor.

Yahoo

a day ago

Yahoo

Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

By Maki Shiraki TOYOTA CITY, Japan (Reuters) -Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda is likely to face scrutiny over a $33 billion take-private deal of a key supplier when shareholders assemble for the Japanese automaker's annual general meeting on Thursday. This year's gathering, set to kick off at 10:00 a.m. (0100 GMT), marks the first time in three years that Toyoda isn't being opposed by a shareholder proxy adviser. Nevertheless, the grandson of the automaker's founder is likely to face some tough questions about governance - if this week's meeting of supplier Toyota Industries is anything to go by. Shareholders of forklift maker Toyota Industries on Tuesday voiced disapproval of the 4.7 trillion yen ($33 billion) take-private bid from its parent that they said was unfair to minority shareholders. The world's top-selling automaker plans to take its supplier private in a complex, multi-part transaction that includes an offer price of 16,300 yen a share. While the price might be a good deal for Toyota Motor shareholders, critics of the bid, including London-based Zennor Asset Management, have raised concern about the transaction, particularly around the treatment of minority shareholders. "This was not a decision that neglected minority shareholders, but rather one that was taken with all the factors in mind," Toyota Industries' President Koichi Ito told shareholders on Tuesday. Under the deal, a new holding company will be set up. Unlisted real estate company Toyota Fudosan will invest 180 billion yen while Toyoda will invest 1 billion yen. Toyota Motor will invest 700 billion yen for non-voting preferred shares. Tuesday's meeting ran for almost two hours, Toyota Industries' longest ever, the company said. Executives also took some two dozen questions from shareholders, the most ever. Hong Kong-based Oasis Management, which has shares in both Toyota Motor and Toyota Industries, has said it would push for a higher price. Toyota has said the acquisition would allow Toyota Industries to deepen collaboration with group companies, without concerns of short-term profit targets, as Toyota itself becomes a broader "mobility company". This year, prominent proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have both recommended that shareholders re-elect Toyoda. Glass Lewis had recommended voting against him the previous two years and ISS had last year. Toyoda's position at the automaker had come under scrutiny over broader governance concerns. Neither proxy adviser gave specific reasons for the change in their recommendations this year. Toyoda has seen shareholder support slip in recent years. He was re-elected to the board with 72% backing in 2024, in what he later said marked the lowest support rating ever for a Toyota director. That was down from 85% and 96%, respectively, in the prior two years. In a July 2024 interview by Toyota's own news outlet, Toyoda said his seat on the board could be at risk if shareholder support continued to fall. Toyota Industries, formerly Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, was founded in 1926 to make automatic looms. An automotive division within the company was set up and later spun off as Toyota Motor. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

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Platinum surges, palladium lags on narrow demand profile

By Anushree Mukherjee and Kavya Balaraman (Reuters) -Platinum and palladium prices have both rallied this month, notching a more than four-year and seven-month high respectively, but analysts say they remain more cautious about the outlook for palladium due to its narrower demand base. Spot platinum was trading at $1,272.45 per ounce as of 1545 GMT on Wednesday, its highest level since February 2021, and has risen 41% this year on supply concerns, renewed investor interest following London Platinum Week in May, and increased jewellery demand as high gold prices drive consumers to cheaper alternatives, analysts say. Spot palladium, meanwhile, was trading at $1,078.62/oz, its highest level since November 2024, and has gained 18% this year, but has struggled to reach the high of $1,244.75 hit in October 2024. "The biggest factor is likely the wider appeal which platinum enjoys. Platinum's uses are more diverse, spanning industrial applications, jewelry, and investor demand," said Zain Vawda, market analyst at MarketPulse by OANDA. "This diversification shields platinum from the headwinds palladium faces, such as declining long-term demand from the traditional automotive market due to the EV transition." Palladium is mainly used in catalytic converters for gasoline vehicles, while platinum has broader uses in diesel catalytic converters, jewellery, industrial applications, and emerging hydrogen technologies. PALLADIUM PRICES LAGGING Palladium could be considered a "one trick pony", with 90% of its demand coming from car manufacturers, Bank of America said in a note last week. "China's rising EV penetration rates are particularly damaging because it means that palladium-intensive cars with a gasoline engine are now being quickly displaced," the note added. The transition to EVs will also affect platinum in the medium term, but to a lesser extent, analysts told Reuters. "Large commercial vehicles will likely use larger amounts of platinum (relative to palladium) and these vehicles will be slower to electrify. Over time, the hydrogen economy will also absorb some platinum, limiting the downside risk on platinum versus palladium," said Nitesh Shah, commodities strategist at WisdomTree. Global sales of battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids rose to 1.5 million in April. Sales in China were up 32% from the same month of 2024 to 0.9 million vehicles. PLATINUM RALLIES Platinum, meanwhile, is expected to be moderately supported over the next six to 12 months, although the upside may be capped without a clear rebound in auto demand or meaningful acceleration in hydrogen-related applications, said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany. Platinum jewellery demand is likely to continue benefiting from high gold prices, analysts said. "We believe that platinum will retain recent gains and could rise a little further as gold and silver gain. We are less confident that palladium will go much higher until turbulence in the auto industry settles," Shah added. Gold has surged 27% this year, touching multiple record highs, while silver has risen 26% in 2025. Sign in to access your portfolio

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Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

Platinum surges, palladium lags on narrow demand profile

The route abnormal load will take through Suffolk

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Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

Toyota chairman to face scrutiny over $33 billion deal at shareholder meeting

Platinum surges, palladium lags on narrow demand profile

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