American Auto Industry Faces Major Challenges Amid Deregulation
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 13 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GM?
Source: seekingalpha
- Regulatory Changes: The Trump administration's termination of the Obama-era 'endangerment finding' is projected to eliminate over $1.3 trillion in regulatory costs, potentially leading to significantly lower car prices, although it raises concerns about environmental standards.
- Financial Crisis: Since late 2025, General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis have taken a combined $53 billion in write-offs related to their EV strategies, resulting in restructurings and layoffs, highlighting the severe financial pressures facing the industry.
- Increased Competition: American automakers are not only contending with fierce competition from China but also facing chip shortages and supply chain uncertainties due to trade tensions, complicating the industry's outlook.
- Future Development Dilemma: While EVs have made significant inroads globally, states like California continue to battle the federal government for stricter environmental regulations, placing automakers in a challenging position between adapting to market changes and regulatory compliance.
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Analyst Views on GM
Wall Street analysts forecast GM stock price to rise
19 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 76.890
Low
57.00
Averages
95.06
High
122.00
Current: 76.890
Low
57.00
Averages
95.06
High
122.00
About GM
General Motors Company designs, builds and sells trucks, crossovers, cars and automobile parts and provides software-enabled services and subscriptions worldwide. The Company's segments include GMNA, GMI and GM Financial. Its GM North America (GMNA) and GM International (GMI) segment develop, manufacture and/or markets vehicles under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC brands. The Company's GM Financial segment provides automotive financing and related services. The Company is also focused on investing in electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles (Avs), software-enabled services and subscriptions and new business opportunities. The Company's portfolio includes OnStar, GM Energy, GM Insurance, GM Genuine Parts, and the GM Company Store. Its OnStar portfolio offers safety, connectivity and hands-free driver assistance technologies. Its GM Energy provides Home EV Charging, Public EV Charging, Vehicle-To-Home and Energy Storage services.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Significant Investment: General Motors has announced an investment of approximately $1.4 billion in three U.S. factories and one Canadian plant, aimed at enhancing its capacity to produce combustion-engine vehicles in response to declining demand for electric vehicles.
- Commitment to Domestic Manufacturing: Over the past year, GM has invested $6 billion in U.S. factories, and this new investment further underscores the company's strong support for American manufacturing, aligning with the Trump administration's push for increased domestic investment.
- Diversification of Product Lines: The investment will focus on the production of gasoline engines, transmissions, and metal castings, ensuring GM's competitiveness in the traditional automotive market while preparing for potential shifts in market demand.
- Market Demand Dynamics: As electric vehicle demand fluctuates, GM aims to maintain its market share and meet consumer demand for traditional vehicles by increasing its investment in combustion engine production.
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- Holiday Impact: With most global stock markets closed for Labor Day, trading volumes have plummeted, particularly in Asia where markets in Hong Kong and the mainland remained shut, exacerbating market uncertainty.
- Economic Outlook: Despite the European Central Bank and Bank of England holding rates steady, expectations for future rate hikes have risen, with traders pricing in a 75% chance of an ECB hike in June, which could impact investor confidence moving forward.
- Industry Dynamics: In the U.S., Apple has issued a better-than-expected revenue forecast, showcasing strong sales and earnings, which may positively influence global markets, particularly in the tech sector.
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- AI Feature Adoption: Over 50 car brands have integrated ByteDance's Doubao AI model, which is now present in 145 car models and over 7 million vehicles, indicating widespread adoption of AI technology in China's EV market, although companies must rapidly adapt to consumer demand for smart features amid fierce competition.
- Ongoing Price War: Despite the rapid rollout of new features, automakers face persistent sales pressure, with industry experts noting that the price war is unlikely to cease in the near term, compelling companies to continuously compete on technology updates and user experience to maintain market share.
- Speed of Tech Updates: Automakers can quickly deploy tech updates via over-the-air methods, as noted by the CEO of the Audi and SAIC Cooperation Project, highlighting the flexibility to respond to market changes, even as technology becomes increasingly homogeneous, necessitating differentiated competitive strategies.
- Nio's Market Performance: Nio claims its ES8 model has delivered 100,000 units in just 215 days within the 400,000 yuan and above segment, showcasing its ability to attract consumers despite cost pressures and slower market growth, while offering unique customer experiences and premium interior materials.
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- Apple's Strong Performance: Apple exceeded earnings expectations in its latest report, with both revenue and profit growth driving shares up over 3% in after-hours trading, despite iPhone sales falling short, indicating strong demand for its services segment.
- Energy Stocks Surge: Following the outbreak of the Iran war, Chevron and Exxon Mobil saw their shares rise by 9.3% and 9.1%, respectively, reflecting market confidence in the energy sector amid heightened global energy tensions.
- Berkshire Hathaway's Decline: Berkshire Hathaway's A shares have dropped over 5% year-to-date and 11% over the year, raising concerns among investors about its long-term growth prospects, with the current share price at $711,900.
- Weakness in Auto Sector: Major automakers have experienced significant stock declines over the past three months, with Toyota, Ford, and General Motors down 15%, 13%, and 8.5%, respectively, reflecting a pessimistic outlook for recovery in the automotive industry.
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- Strong Shareholder Returns: General Motors has repurchased billions in stock over recent years, successfully turned around its money-losing operations in China, and navigated challenges like chip shortages and tariffs, nearly doubling the S&P 500's return, showcasing its financial resilience.
- Subscription Business Growth: GM's OnStar and Super Cruise subscription services are rapidly expanding, with management anticipating these will become major profit drivers, particularly as Super Cruise paid subscribers are expected to exceed 850,000 by year-end, indicating robust market demand.
- Robust Revenue Growth: OnStar ended Q1 with deferred revenue of $5.8 billion, up over 50% year-over-year, while recognized revenue surpassed $750 million, a 20% increase, highlighting significant progress in GM's high-margin connected business.
- Market Valuation Potential: GM's CFO noted that the high margins from the connected business could potentially dwarf its wholesale operations, and despite facing subscription fatigue, the growth in this area presents new opportunities for investors, which may not be fully reflected in the current stock price.
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- OnStar Service Expansion: General Motors is providing an eight-year subscription to OnStar services for all new vehicles, a strategy designed to ensure a 100% take rate by incorporating service fees into vehicle pricing, thereby enhancing customer retention and future renewal rates.
- Super Cruise User Growth: Subscribers to Super Cruise increased by approximately 70% year-over-year in the first quarter, with expectations to surpass 850,000 paid users by year-end, which will generate substantial high-margin revenue and further strengthen GM's competitive position in the automotive industry.
- Strong Financial Performance: OnStar ended the first quarter with deferred revenue of $5.8 billion, up over 50% year-over-year, while recognized revenue exceeded $750 million, reflecting a 20% increase, indicating robust growth potential in GM's high-margin software business.
- Future Profit Driver: GM's management believes that the high margins from its connected business could eventually surpass traditional wholesale operations, and despite facing subscription fatigue, this emerging business presents long-term growth opportunities for investors.
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