Fiat-Chrysler Might Base Company in Netherlands

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne tells Reuters it is "possible" the Italian and American carmakers would make their headquarters in the Netherlands after they complete their merger.

Marchionne in April that he would prefer that Fiat-Chrysler have its primary stock listing on one of the stock exchanges in New York City. The comment triggered renewed speculation that the company also might be based in the U.S. But Reuters notes that corporate regulations in the Netherlands are similar to American rules.

Fiat Industrial SpA, which expects to complete a merger with its U.S.-based agricultural equipment affiliate CNH Global by this autumn, will move its headquarters to the Netherlands. The new company, CNH Industrial, also will shift its stock listing from Milan to New York.

Marchionne is chairman of Fiat Industrial, which was spun off from Fiat Group in early 2011. He has said that the Fiat Industrial-CNH merger is one of the blueprints for the future Fiat-Chrysler combination.

Fiat cannot full combine the automakers until it buys the 41.5% of Chrysler it does not already own. That acquisition has been stalled by a dispute with the U.S. company's minority shareholder about the value of its stock.