1 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 FORM 6-K REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 2001. CNH GLOBAL N.V. (TRANSLATION OF REGISTRANT'S NAME INTO ENGLISH) WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWER B, 10TH FLOOR AMSTERDAM AIRPORT THE NETHERLANDS (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES) (Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.) Form 20-F X Form 40-F ----- ----- (Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.) Yes No X ----- ----- (If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82- .) ------- 2 CNH GLOBAL N.V. Form 6-K for the month of May, 2001 List of Exhibits: 1. Registrant's Summary North American Retail Unit Sales Activity For Selected Agricultural and Construction Equipment, During the Month of April and Cumulative for 4 Months, 2001, And Indicators of North American Dealer Inventory Levels for Selected Agricultural Equipment at the End of March 2001 Relative to Industry Results or Levels, Compared with Prior Year Periods. 3 [CNH LOGO] CNH Global N.V. --------------- Summary North American Retail Unit Sales Activity For Selected Agricultural and Construction Equipment, During the Month of April and Cumulative for 4 Months, 2001, And Indicators of North American Dealer Inventory Levels for Selected Agricultural Equipment at the End of March 2001 Relative to Industry Results or Levels, Compared with Prior Year Periods The following table summarizes selected agricultural and construction equipment industry retail unit sales results in North America as compared with prior year periods. Industry results for the current periods are expressed as a percentage change from the prior year periods, by major product category. The percentage change reflects only industry retail unit sales results and is derived from flash, or preliminary actual, data of the U.S. Equipment Manufacturers Institute ("EMI") and of the Canadian Farm and Industrial Equipment Institute ("CFIEI"). These industry data are based on unit sales as preliminarily reported by EMI and CFIEI member companies and include most, but not all, of the equipment sold in each of the categories. The data are subject to revision from time to time and caution should be maintained when using the data for any purpose. Actual results will vary and may not be known for some time. Over time, industry results will be adjusted to reflect actual sales differences, reclassifications, or other factors. Retail unit sales will fluctuate from month to month due to several factors, including timing of new products and new product introductions, product availability, and sales programs. CNH Global N.V.'s performance for the same periods is described relative to the change in industry results. Also included in the table are indicators of North American dealer inventory levels. Industry data are derived from the flash, or preliminary actual, data of the EMI and CFIEI and expressed as the number of months of inventory on hand, based on the simple average of the previous 12 months retail unit sales results. CNH Global N.V.'s dealer's inventory levels for the same periods are described relative to the industry levels. This information reflects point-in-time data that is not necessarily representative of either the market nor of CNH Global N.V.'s relative performance going forward, nor does it reflect or imply any forward-looking information regarding the market or CNH Global N.V.'s relative performance in that market. Copies of the relevant Agricultural Flash report from EMI and CFIEI follow the table. 4 Page 2 CNH Global N.V. April N.A. Activity ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY OF NORTH AMERICAN RETAIL ACTIVITY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total North American CNH RELATIVE PERFORMANCE CATEGORY INDUSTRY (ALL BRANDS) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RETAIL UNIT SALES: MONTH OF APR. 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agricultural Tractors: under 40 horsepower (2WD) +12% Up significantly more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 to 100 horsepower (2WD) +12% Up significantly more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- over 100 horsepower (2WD) +12% Down mid-single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 wheel drive tractors +23% Up moderately more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total tractors +13% Up significantly more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Combines (8%) Down significantly more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loader/backhoes (21%) Down, in line with the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skid Steer Loaders (9%) Up mid-single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Heavy Construction Equipment (18%) Down moderately more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RETAIL UNIT SALES: 4 MONTHS, 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agricultural Tractors: under 40 horsepower (2WD) +10% Up moderately more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 to 100 horsepower (2WD) +9% Down mid-single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- over 100 horsepower (2WD) +10% Down high single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 wheel drive tractors +17% Up significantly more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total tractors +10% Up mid-single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Combines +27% Down high double digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Loader/backhoes (24%) Down moderately more than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Skid Steer Loaders (12%) Down mid single digits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Heavy Construction Equipment (16%) Down in line with the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEALER INVENTORIES: END OF MARCH 2001 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Agricultural Tractors: under 40 horsepower (2WD) 9.4 months supply > 1 month lower than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 to 100 horsepower (2WD) 6.7 months supply About 1/2 month lower than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- over 100 horsepower (2WD) 5.5 months supply 1 month lower than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 wheel drive tractors 5.1 months supply > 1 month lower than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total tractors 8.0 months supply > 1 month lower than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Combines 3.3 months supply 1 month higher than the industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dated: May 15, 2001 5 APRIL 2001 FLASH REPORT U.S. UNIT RETAIL SALES (REPORT RELEASED MAY 11, 2001) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2001 APRIL APRIL % % U.S. FIELD EQUIPMENT 2001 2000 CHG. Y-T-D 2001 Y-T-D 2000 CHG. INVENTORY (*) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 WHEEL DRIVE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ UNDER 40 HP 10,486 9,326 12.40% 24,758 22,635 9.40% 65,476 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40 & Under 5,661 5,062 11.80% 15,486 14,116 9.70% 28,201 100 HP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 100 HP & 2,795 2,558 9.30% 7,438 6,906 7.70% 7,065 Over ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL 18,942 16,946 11.80% 47,682 43,657 9.20% 100,742 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 WHEEL 610 493 23.70% 1,492 1,235 20.80% 1,295 DRIVE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TOTAL FARM 19,552 17,439 12.10% 49,174 44,892 9.50% 102,037 WHEEL TRACTORS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ COMBINES 361 393 -8.10% 1,376 1,034 33.10% 1,532 (SELF- PROPELLED) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Graphic data included at this point in the Flash Report has been omitted due to the inability of it being reproduced in the Edgarization process. Such data is available from the Equipment Manufacturers Institute.] Published monthly, the EMI Agriculture Flash Report compares monthly data from the current and past year of the U.S. unit retail sales of two and four wheel drive tractors and self-propelled combines. Data shown on the report are estimates which are subject to revisions when final detail data become available. Because of the seasonal nature of the industry, comparisons of monthly data from one period to another should be done with extreme caution. Data presented in the report represents most, but not all, of the manufacturers in each product category being sold at retail in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Note: Ag Flash Report is updated every 15th of the month. 6 For further information, please contact Jeanine Conwell, EMI Director of Statistics or Mary Matimore, EMI Statistical Assistant. EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE 10 S. Riverside Plazao Chicago, IL 60606-3710 Phone: 312-321-1470 Fax: 312-321-1480 E-mail: emi@emi.org Copyright(C)2001 by the Equipment Manufacturers Institute. All rights reserved. 7 [CFIEI LOGO] APRIL 2001 FLASH REPORT CANADA REPORT - RETAIL SALES IN UNITS (Report released May 14, 2001) The Canadian Farm & Industrial Equipment Institute, Burlington, Ontario today announced retail sales of farm tractors and combine harvesters in Canada for the month. These data are based on unit sales reported by CFIEI member companies. This report includes most, but not all of the machines and implements sold in each of these categories. These data are subject to revision from time to time and caution should be maintained when using the data for any purpose. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL APRIL MARCH YEAR-TO-DATE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2001 2000 EQUIPMENT 2001 2000 % 2001 2000 % CANADIAN CANADIAN CHG. CHG. (FIELD) (FIELD) INVENTORY INVENTORY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 WHEEL TRACTORS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- UNDER 40 HP 475 447 6.3% 1,185 1,058 12.0% 3,791 2,948 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40& UNDER 100 HP 699 598 16.9% 1,825 1,708 6.9% 3,759 3,743 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 100 HP & OVER 501 386 29.8% 1,125 911 23.5% 1,599 1,392 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL 1,675 1,431 17.1% 4,135 3,677 12.5% 9,149 8,083 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 WD TRACTORS 117 97 20.6% 223 234 -4.7% 256 211 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOTAL FARM 1,792 1,528 17.3% 4,358 3,911 11.4% 9,405 8,294 WHEEL TRACTORS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBINES 49 54 -9.3% 190 199 -4.5% 455 573 (SELF-PROPELLED) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 CANADIAN FARM & INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT INSTITUTE 720 Guelph Line, Suite 307 Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7R 4E2 Phone: 905-632-8483 (*) Fax: 905-632-7138 E-Mail: info@cfiei.ca Copyright(C)2001 Canadian Farm & Industrial Equipment Institute. All rights reserved. SEND MAIL TO WEBMASTER WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS WEBSITE. LAST MODIFIED: MAY 14, 2001 9 SIGNATURES PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, THE REGISTRANT HAS DULY CAUSED THIS REPORT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED. CNH Global N.V. By: /s/ Debra E. Kuper ------------------------------------- Debra E. Kuper Assistant Secretary May 16, 2001