FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO
8-K, 2000-07-14
PERSONAL CREDIT INSTITUTIONS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                          Date of Report July 14, 2000
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                            FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                    Delaware
                 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


                   1-6368                    38-1612444
           (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.)


         One American Road, Dearborn, Michigan           48126
        (Address of principal executive offices)      (Zip Code)



         Registrant's telephone number, including area code 313-322-3000






<PAGE>



Item 5.  Other Events.

     On June 2, 2000, a special  committee of the Board of Directors of Ford
Motor  Company  (the  "Company"  or "Ford ")  approved  the  spin-off of Visteon
Corporation  ("Visteon") by declaring a dividend on Ford's outstanding shares of
Common and Class B Stock consisting of Ford's 100% interest (130 million shares)
in Visteon.  The special  committee  of the Board of Directors  also  declared a
dividend in cash on shares of Company stock held in U.S.  employee savings plans
equal to the market value of Visteon  stock to be  distributed  per share of the
Company's  Common and Class B Stock.  Both the  spin-off  dividend  and the cash
dividend were paid on June 28, 2000 to stockholders of record on June 12, 2000.

     Holders  of Ford  Common  and  Class B Stock on the  record  date  received
0.130933  shares of  Visteon  common  stock for each  share of Ford  stock,  and
participants in U.S. employee savings plans who held Ford stock in such plans on
the record date received $1.72 in cash per share of Ford stock, which amount was
based on the  volume-weighted  average  price of Visteon  stock of $13.1326  per
share on the New York Stock  Exchange on June 28,  2000.  The total value of the
distribution  (including  the  aggregate  $365 million cash  dividend)  was $2.1
billion or $1.72 per share of Ford stock.

     As a result of the spin-off of Visteon, Ford will post an after-tax loss of
approximately  $2.3  billion in the second  quarter of 2000.  This  reflects the
excess of Ford's net  investment  in Visteon over the market value of Visteon on
the  distribution  date. Ford has received an opinion from Davis Polk & Wardwell
that the spin-off  should qualify as a tax-free  distribution  for U.S.  federal
income tax purposes.

         The news release of Ford  dated July 13, 2000 discussing one-time
charges to be incurred by Ford in connection with the Visteon spin-off and with
its European operations is filed as Exhibit  99 to this  Current  Report on
Form 8-K and is incorporated  by reference herein.


<PAGE>

Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.


                                    EXHIBITS

Designation         Description                Method of Filing


Exhibit 99         News Release dated          Filed with this Report
                   July 13, 2000 of Ford
                   Motor Company
                   with attachment.





                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized on the date indicated.

                                         FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY
                                                (Registrant)


Date:  July 14, 2000                     By: /s/S. P. Thomas
                                         -------------------------
                                                S. P. Thomas
                                                Assistant Secretary
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

DESIGNATION                         DESCRIPTION

Exhibit 99                          News Release dated
                                    July 13, 2000 of Ford Motor
                                    Company with attachment.


<PAGE>

                                                                   Exhibit 99

News Release


Contact:  Media Inquiries          Securities Analysts     Shareholder Inquiries
          Karen Hampton            Mike Holland            800-555-5259 or
          313-594-4410             313-323-8221            313-845-8540


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


FORD PROVIDES DETAIL ON SECOND QUARTER CHARGES


DEARBORN,  Mich., July 13, 2000 - Ford Motor Company [NYSE:  F] today  disclosed
detail on the one-time charges it will incur in the second quarter of 2000.

Visteon  Independence:  Ford  Motor  Company  will post an  after-tax  charge of
approximately  $2.3 billion  related to the  distribution  of the  company's 100
percent interest in Visteon  Corporation [NYSE: VC] to Ford shareholders on June
28. This amount reflects the difference between the carrying value of Ford's net
investment  in  Visteon  and the market  value of  Visteon  stock on the date of
distribution.

"Visteon's  independence  from Ford allows both  organizations to focus on their
core businesses," said Jac Nasser, president and chief executive officer of Ford
Motor  Company.  "Visteon  now can  accelerate  growth  and become  stronger  by
competing for business across the entire industry."

European Charges:  The company will post an after-tax charge of approximately $1
billion,  approximately  $1.6  billion  before  taxes,  related to an  extensive
business  review of the Ford brand  operations  in Europe that was  announced in
May. The pre-tax  European  charges include asset  impairments of  approximately
$1.1 billion as well as restructuring costs of $468 million,  including employee
separations and other exit related costs.

_______________________________________________________________________________
Financial News, The American Road, Dearborn, MI  48121-1899
Telephone: 313-594-4410; Fax:  313-594-3494
E-Mail: [email protected]; Internet: http://media.ford.com

<PAGE>

                                      -2-
"With the plan in place to improve efficiency and reduce overcapacity as well as
fixed  costs,  and  the  acceleration  of  an  extraordinary  product  offensive
representing  45  significant  new  products  over the next five  years,  we are
confident  our  European  operations  are driving  toward  sustained  profitable
growth," said Nasser.

The after-tax  aggregate amount of these charges is expected to be approximately
$3.3 billion or approximately $2.70 per diluted common and Class B share.

These charges will be reflected in Ford Motor Company's  second quarter results,
which will be released at 7 a.m. July 19.



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