GM profit 2Q falls 85 pct. on recall costs

By Associated Press

Jul 24, 2014 6:35 AM CDT

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FILE - In this May 13, 2014 file photo, an auto worker inspects finished SUVs coming off the assembly line at the General Motors auto plant in Arlington, Texas. General Motors reports quarterly financial results on Thursday, July 24, 2014. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) (Associated Press)

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors says second-quarter profit fell 85 percent as recall costs chopped $1.5 billion from the bottom line.

The automaker posted a net profit of $190 million, or 11 cents per share, including restructuring and recall-related expenses. A year ago GM made $1.26 billion, or 75 cents per share.

Without one-time items GM would have made 58 cents per share, equaling Wall Street's expectations.

So far this year GM has recalled almost 30 million vehicles, a company record.

GM took a number of pretax charges tied to the recalls. They Include $400 million to compensate victims of ignition-switch related crashes; $874 million to account for recall expenses during the next 10 years; and $1.2 billion for recalls announced during the quarter. The after-tax impact of those items was $1.5 billion.