The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, July 26, edition that Stellantis chief executive officer Carlos Tavares announced that the company is addressing weak margins and high inventory at its U.S. operations. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that Mr. Tavares emphasized that the company will not hesitate to discontinue underperforming brands in its portfolio. This is a change in approach for Mr. Tavares, who had previously indicated that all 14 Stellantis brands, including Maserati, Fiat, Peugeot and Jeep, had a future. Mr. Tavares stated, "If they don't make money, we'll shut them down," following disappointing first-half results which led to a drop in the company's shares by as much as 10 per cent. Mr. Tavares stressed, "We cannot afford to have brands that do not make money." Mr. Tavares is under pressure to boost margins and sales and reduce inventory in the United States as Stellantis invests in launching 20 new models this year, aiming to improve profitability. Analysts at Citi said in a note that the problems were likely to continue. "We see no real improvement until and unless Stellantis removes the overhang from inventories -- which itself would put pressure on full-year margins," they wrote.