U.S. President Donald Trump risks picking a fight with the most powerful names in business, from Walt Disney Co. to Apple Inc., should he formally order American companies out of China as part of his trade war.
Trump and his aides argue he has the right to eject American firms from the world’s largest consumer market. In a tweet Friday, the president told U.S. companies “to immediately start looking for an alternative to China.”
There are major doubts over the feasibility of such an order. While some U.S. businesses have already moved manufacturing from China to Southeast Asia and elsewhere, most have no intention of abandoning the $14 trillion economy. A presidential edict to do so would unwind decades-old supply chains, reverse tens of billions of dollars of investments and wipe out a major growth opportunity.
“This is not a market from which American companies can withdraw,” said Ker Gibbs, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.
Trump himself underscored the complexity for corporate decision makers by abruptly tweeting early Monday that trade talks were back on with China, easing the tensions that he stoked days earlier. As companies try to gauge the climate for business in China, here are some of the biggest brands with the most to lose:
Walt Disney
Disney has a bricks-and-mortar commitment to China: Shanghai Disneyland, a joint venture with the city government, opened in 2016. And it’s growing, with Disney announcing in January plans for a Zootopia-themed land based on the hit animated movie. So far, the trade war hasn’t hurt business at Shanghai Disneyland, Disney said earlier this month.
Caterpillar Inc.
Major sanctions by Trump’s administration could endanger profit growth at a company long-considered a bellwether for the U.S. economy. The heavy-equipment maker has factories in cities throughout China, where it makes tractors, soil compactors and other equipment to feed the country’s huge infrastructure push. With Caterpillar facing major competitive pressure in China, dealers this year have reported slumping sales.
Nike Inc.
Even after diversifying its supply chain, Nike depends on Chinese factories for many of its products, especially those it sells in China. That market has outperformed for Nike, and a forced pullback would benefit arch-rival Adidas AG and local competitors Li Ning Co. and Anta Sports Products Ltd. It would be especially painful for Nike at a time when Chinese demand is likely to grow in the run-up to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Apple Inc.
Apple designs and sells most of its products in the U.S., but imports them from China after assembly. It’s a supply chain that has helped pump out hundreds of millions of devices, making the company one of the most profitable in the world. Apple gets about a fifth of its revenue from China.
Starbucks Corp.
The coffee giant has been in China for 20 years and any exit from what it calls its “second home” would be a major upheaval. Amid concern that the U.S. is already saturated, Starbucks plans to more than triple its revenue in China by opening a new store every 15 hours through 2022. The company has more than a 50% market share in China and is targeting 6,000 stores by 2023.