Nissan scoops up rival

Article Excerpt

NISSAN MOTOR (ADR) $18.95 (Nasdaq symbol NSANY; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average) (310-771-3111; www.nissan-global.com; ADRs outstanding 2.2 billion; Market cap: $43.3 billion; Yield: 3.1%) has agreed to buy a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors for $2.18 billion U.S. The deal comes after Mitsubishi admitted to exaggerating the fuel efficiency of some of its vehicles. Its share price dropped about 43% on the disclosure. Nissan plans to let Mitsubishi remain a separate brand, with its own network of dealers. It won’t be involved in day-to-day operations. The agreement is a good fit for both companies. In the near term, it should boost consumer and investor confidence in Mitsubishi’s ability to put the emissions scandal behind it. Longer term, the deal should allow the two firms to cut development costs and jointly invest in the technology they need to meet tougher emission standards. They would also be better prepared to compete with any technology companies that enter the auto industry—including Google and Apple…