Renault-Nissan Alliance and the state corporation of Russian Technologies have agreed to create a joint venture and give the Renault-Nissan Alliance an indirect majority stake in AVTOVAZ, according to a new memorandum of understanding. The Renault-Nissan Alliance, AVTOVAZ, Russian Technologies and Troika Dialog signed the non-binding agreement yesterday in Paris. According to the memorandum, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Russian Technologies will contribute their respective stakes in AVTOVAZ to a joint venture that will control AVTOVAZ, Russia’s largest car company and maker of the iconic Lada brand. (Picture below is the LADA C Concept from 2007)
Renault-Nissan plans to invest about US$750 million, which will give the French-Japanese car group 67.13% of the joint venture in mid-2014. The joint venture will then hold 74.5% of AVTOVAZ. The transaction is expected to be complete by 2014. Renault, which purchased 25% of AVTOVAZ in 2008 and then helped AVTOVAZ pilot an aggressive turnaround, will invest about US$300 million in the joint venture. Nissan, which does not currently own a stake in AVTOVAZ, will invest about US$450 million. Renault and Nissan will make periodic payments through 2014.
Russian Technologies has agreed to restructure its outstanding loans with AVTOVAZ with approximately RUB7 billion (US$238 million) proceeds from the anticipated sale of AVTOVAZ’s non-core assets being used to repay part of Russian Technologies’ loans. The remainder of circa RUB46 billion (US$1.56 billion) of interest-free debt is being extended well beyond its current maturity date. This gives AVTOVAZ a strong balance sheet with no liquidity constraints.
