Car companies becoming values again?

It may be that the prices of car company stocks have fallen so low that some of the firms, at least the strongest ones, are starting to attract investor interest. According to the Financial Times, "Abu Dhabi-based Aabar Investments is to take a 9.1 percent stake in Daimler in a €1.95 billion (£1.84 billion) move to bolster the German premium car maker, becoming its largest shareholder as the company battles against the worst industry crisis in decades."

While the news is unlikely to be encouraging to investors in weak auto firms like GM (GM), it could offer hope to companies with better balance sheets like Toyota (TM) and, perhaps, even Ford (F).