General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM)

The financial data reveals notable fluctuations in net income attributable to stockholders over the years, reflecting varying profitability levels. From 2010 to 2011, net income showed a significant increase, rising from 6,172 million US dollars to 9,190 million US dollars, before experiencing a decline in 2012 and 2013. The figure dropped to 3,949 million in 2014 but sharply rebounded in 2015 and 2016, reaching peaks near 9,687 million and 9,427 million respectively. However, this upward trend was interrupted in 2017 by a substantial loss of 3,864 million US dollars, indicating a severe setback in that year. Following this loss, the company returned to profitability from 2018 through 2021, with net income consistently above 6,000 million US dollars and peaking at over 10,000 million in 2021 and 2023. The years 2022 and 2024 show a slight decline compared to the earlier peak, but overall profitability remained strong in the recent period.

Stockholders’ equity demonstrated general growth with some periods of decline, suggesting changes in retained earnings, share issuances, or other equity-related transactions. Beginning at 36,180 million US dollars in 2010, equity rose moderately to around 38,120 million in 2011 but experienced a dip in 2012. A strong rebound took place from 2013 to 2016, with equity increasing to a high of 43,836 million before declining sharply to 35,001 million in 2017, paralleling the net income loss. From 2018 onward, stockholders’ equity expanded steadily, reaching its highest levels in 2021 and 2022, peaking at 67,792 million US dollars. There is a slight decrease in 2023 and 2024, yet the overall position remains significantly stronger than in the earlier years.

Return on equity (ROE) exhibits a pattern largely consistent with the trends in net income and stockholders’ equity, reflecting the company's ability to generate profits from its equity base. Initially high at 17.06% in 2010, ROE climbed to an impressive 24.11% in 2011, followed by a decline to a low of approximately 11.14% in 2014. It then surged again to above 24% in 2015 and remained relatively strong through 2016. The year 2017 stands out as an anomaly with a negative ROE of -11.04%, indicating losses that absorbed equity value. Subsequently, ROE rebounded positively from 2018 to 2021, fluctuating between 14.27% and 16.77%, and maintained a steady level around 14.65% to 15.75% through 2023. In 2024, there was a notable decline to 9.53%, signaling reduced efficiency in generating returns for the shareholders compared to previous years.

Overall, the data indicates periods of significant volatility, particularly around 2017 when the company encountered a major loss impacting both profitability and equity. Despite this, the following years show recovery and growth in both net income and equity, although recent trends suggest a moderation in return on equity. These dynamics highlight the company’s capacity to rebound from financial difficulties while underscoring potential challenges in sustaining high profitability levels in the most recent period.