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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 12, 2011
 
AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING
HOLDINGS, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
Delaware
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
1-14303
 
36-3161171
 
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
 
 
 
One Dauch Drive, Detroit, Michigan
 
48211-1198
 
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)
 
 (313) 758-2000
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
 
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
 
 
     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
o    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

SECTION 7 - REGULATION FD
 
Item 7.01 Regulation FD
 
AAM's 2010 outlook:
 
•    
AAM expects full year sales in 2010 to be approximately $2.28 billion.
 
•    
AAM expects to generate earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) ranging from $335 million to $345 million, and as a percentage of sales in the range of 14.5% - 15.0% in 2010.
◦    
AAM believes that EBITDA is a meaningful measure of performance as it is commonly utilized by management and investors to analyze operating performance and entity valuation. AAM management, the investment community and the banking institutions routinely use EBITDA, together with other measures, to measure AAM's operating performance relative to other Tier 1 automotive suppliers. EBITDA should not be construed as income from operations, net income or cash flow from operating activities as determined under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Other companies may calculate EBITDA differently.
 
•    
AAM expects full year capital spending in 2010 to approximate 4.7% of sales.
 
•    
AAM expects to report positive free cash flow in fourth quarter of 2010.
◦    
AAM defines free cash flow to be net cash provided by (or used in) operating activities less capital expenditures net of proceeds from the sales of equipment and dividends paid.
◦    
AAM believes free cash flow is a meaningful measure as it is commonly utilized by management and investors to assess the ability to generate cash flow from business operations to repay debt and return capital to stockholders. Other companies may calculate free cash flow differently.
 
•    
AAM's total available liquidity position at December 31, 2010 has grown to more than $600 million.
 
AAM's 2011 Outlook
 
•    
AAM expects full year sales in 2011 to be approximately $2.4 billion. This sales projection is based on the anticipated launch schedule of programs in AAM's new business backlog and the assumption that the U.S. Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate of sales (“SAAR”) increases from approximately 11.6 million vehicle units in 2010 to approximately 12.5 million vehicle units in 2011.
 
•    
AAM expects to generate earnings before interest expense, income taxes and depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) ranging from $348 million to $360 million, and as a percentage of sales in the range of 14.5% - 15.0% in 2011.
 
•    
AAM expects full year capital spending in 2011 to approximate 6.0% of sales to support AAM's $850 million new business backlog, launching between 2011 - 2013.
 
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
 
Certain statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are “forward-looking statements” and relate to the Company's plans, projections, strategies or future performance. Such statements, made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, are based on our current expectations, are inherently uncertain, are subject to risks and should be viewed with caution. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and may differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: global economic conditions; our ability to comply with the definitive terms and conditions of various commercial and financing arrangements with GM; reduced purchases of our products by GM, Chrysler or other customers; reduced demand for our customers' products (particularly light trucks and SUVs produced by GM and Chrysler); availability of financing for working capital, capital expenditures, R&D or other general corporate purposes, including our ability to comply with financial covenants; our customers' and suppliers' availability of financing for working capital, capital expenditures, R&D or other general corporate purposes; the impact on us and our customers of requirements imposed on, or actions taken by, our customers in response to the U.S. government's ownership interest, the Troubled Asset Relief Program or similar programs; our ability to achieve cost reductions through ongoing restructuring actions; additional restructuring actions that may occur; our ability to achieve the level of cost reductions required to sustain global cost competitiveness; our ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and avoid future work stoppages; our suppliers', our customers' and their suppliers' ability to maintain satisfactory labor relations and avoid work stoppages; our ability to continue to implement improvements in our U.S. labor cost structure; supply shortages or price increases in raw materials, utilities or other operating supplies; currency rate fluctuations; our ability or our customers' and suppliers' ability to successfully launch new product programs on a timely basis; our ability to realize the expected revenues from our new and incremental business backlog; our ability to attract new customers and programs for new products; our ability to develop and produce new products that reflect market demand; lower-than-anticipated market acceptance of new or existing products; our ability to respond to changes in technology, increased competition or pricing pressures; price volatility in, or reduced availability of, fuel; adverse changes in laws, government regulations or market conditions affecting our products or our customers' products (such as the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (“CAFE”) regulations); adverse changes in the political stability of our principal markets (particularly North America, Europe, South America and Asia); liabilities arising from warranty claims, product liability and legal proceedings to which we are or may become a party; changes in liabilities arising from pension and other postretirement benefit obligations; risks of noncompliance with environmental regulations or risks of environmental issues that could result in unforeseen costs at our facilities; our ability to attract and retain key associates; other unanticipated events and conditions that may hinder our ability to compete. For additional discussion, see “Risk factors” in our most recent 10Q and 10K filings.
 
It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors and we assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to disclose any subsequent facts, events or circumstances that may affect their accuracy.
 
 

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SIGNATURES
     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, hereunto duly authorized.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING HOLDINGS, INC.
 
 
Date:
January 12, 2011
By:  
/s/ Michael K. Simonte  
 
 
 
 
Michael K. Simonte 
 
 
 
 
Executive Vice President - Finance & Chief Financial Officer (also in the capacity of Chief Accounting Officer) 
 

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