Ford Motor Company reported 204,651 new vehicle deliveries for April 2018 in the U.S. market, a 4.7 percent decrease compared to April 2017. Sales decreased at both of FoMoCo’s brands – Ford as well as Lincoln.
“The industry continues to operate at historically strong levels. We are seeing this with our F-Series trucks, which have now posted 12 consecutive months of year-over-year gains”, said Mark LaNeve Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “The market continues to strongly favor well equipped SUVs and trucks and our F-Series and new Expedition and Lincoln Navigator are capitalizing on this generational shift.”
Sales Summary - April 2018 - Ford Motor Company - USA
| Sales | Sales Mix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 204,651 | 214,695 | -4.7% | -10044 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| Sale Type | April 2018 | April 2017 | April 2018 / April 2017 | April 2018 - April 2017 | April 2018 | April 2017 |
| Retail | 137,049 | 140,762 | -2.6% | -3,713 | 67.0% | 65.6% |
| Fleet | 67,602 | 73,933 | -8.6% | -6,331 | 33.0% | 34.4% |
Ford Motor Company U.S. April 2018 Sales Notes
FoMoCo sales overview:
Sales types:
- Cumulative Ford Motor Company sales, which consist of Ford and Lincoln sales, decreased 4.7 percent to 204,651 units:
- Retail sales decreased 2.6 percent or 3,713 units to 158,996 vehicles, accounting for 67 percent of total Ford Motor Company April 2018 sales
- Fleet sales, including daily rental, commercial and government segments, decreased 8.6 percent or 6,331 units to 67,602 units, accounting for 33 percent of total Ford Motor Company April 2018 sales:
- Daily rental deliveries accounted for 13.3 percent of total sales, a decrease of 2.1 percentage points
- Commercial deliveries accounted for 13.6 percent of total sales, an increase of 1.1 percentage points
- Government deliveries accounted for 6.1 percent of total sales, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points
- Fleet sales were down due to order timing, according to Ford
- Car sales decreased 15 percent to 42,373 units
- SUV sales decreased 4.6 percent to 69,940 units
- Truck sales increased 0.9 percent to 92,338 units
Average Transaction Prices (ATPs):
- Overall transaction prices are almost $4,000 higher than the industry average at $36,300 per vehicle
Inventory:
- April month-end inventory on a gross stock level, which includes in-transit and dealer stock, was 736,411 units for an 86 days supply, representing:
- An increase of 17,254 units from the 719,157 units at the end of March 2018
- An increase of 4 days from the 82 supply at the end of March 2018
- An increase of 48,411 units from the 687,970 units at the end of April 2017
- An increase of 3 days from the 83 days supply at the end of April 2017
- April month-end inventory on the ground, which consists exclusively of vehicles in dealer stock, was 579,699 units for a 68 days supply, representing:
- An increase of 7,574 units from the 572,125 units at the end of March 2018
- An increase of 2 days from the 66 days supply at the end of March 2018
- A decrease of 13,911 units from the 593,610 units at the end of April 2017
- A decrease of 4 days from the 72 days supply at the end of April 2017
Ford sales decreased 4.3 percent to 196,133 units:
- Ford C-Max sales decreased 46.63 percent to 784 units
- Ford E-Series sales decreased 23.43 percent to 3,981 units
- Ford EcoSport sales totaled 5,277 units, its best monthly sales to date
- Some of the subcompact crossover’s strongest sales regions were New York, Boston and Philadelphia
- Ford continues to see a strong mix of 1.0-liter EcoBoost-powered EcoSports, at over 40 percent
- Ford Edge sales decreased 7.47 percent to 11,240 units
- Ford Escape sales decreased 16.59 percent to 21,383 units
- Ford Expedition sales decreased 22.28 percent to 3,976 units
- Retail sales of the all-new Ford Expedition increased 25.8 percent, as dealer inventories continue to expand
- Expedition is spending an average of 17 days on dealer lots on average
- The West region is reporting the highest growth, with retail sales up 59 percent
- Average transaction prices are up $12,100 on an annual basis
- Ford Explorer sales decreased 9.49 percent to 17,894 units
- Ford F-Series sales increased 3.46 percent to 73,104 units, its 12th consecutive month of year-over-year gains as well as its best April performance since the year 2000
- Top trim level Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited Super Duty models represented 49 percent of sales
- Overall F-Series average transaction prices gained $900 during the month
- Ford Fiesta sales decreased 5.35 percent to 3,151 units
- Ford Flex sales decreased 19.74 percent to 1,240 units
- Ford Focus sales decreased 1.49 percent to 13,001 units
- Ford Fusion sales decreased 22.91 percent to 12,871 units
- Ford GT sales increased 400 percent to 10 units
- Ford Heavy Trucks sales decreased 36.85 percent to 795 units
- Ford Mustang sales decreased 11.63 percent to 7,125 units
- Ford Police Interceptor Sedan sales decreased 7.06 percent to 658 units
- Ford Police Interceptor Utility sales decreased 3.94 percent to 2,971 units
- Ford Taurus sales decreased 18.3 percent to 2,214 units
- Ford Transit sales increased 4.48 percent to 12,015 units
- Ford Transit Connect sales decreased 15.9 percent to 2,443 units
Lincoln sales decreased 12.1 percent to 8,518 units:
- Lincoln Continental sales decreased 13.56 percent to 867 units
- Lincoln MKC sales decreased 31.8 percent to 1,859 units
- Lincoln MKT sales increased 12.92 percent to 271 units
- Lincoln MKX sales decreased 3.25 percent to 2,263 units
- Lincoln MKZ sales decreased 36.34 percent to 1,692 units
- Lincoln Navigator sales increased 122.44 percent to 1,566 units, with retail sales increasing 135 percent
- Customers orders continue to exceed supply, with overall average transaction prices up $26,300 on an annual basis to $81,200
- The Navigator is spending an average of 13 days, 10 days for Black Label
- Every region is seeing triple-digit increases in every region, with the West producing the most sizable gain of 188 percent
In the first four months of 2018, Ford Motor Company sales decreased 3.3 percent to 804,232 units.
Sales Results - April 2018 - USA - Ford
| MODEL | APR 2018 / APR 2017 | APRIL 2018 | APRIL 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-MAX | -46.63% | 784 | 1,469 | -29.43% | 3,573 | 5,063 |
| E-SERIES | -23.43% | 3,981 | 5,199 | +3.47% | 17,874 | 17,274 |
| ECOSPORT | * | 5,277 | * | * | 11,373 | * |
| EDGE | -7.47% | 11,240 | 12,147 | -0.45% | 43,894 | 44,094 |
| ESCAPE | -16.59% | 21,383 | 25,637 | -12.99% | 88,733 | 101,975 |
| EXPEDITION | -22.28% | 3,976 | 5,116 | -15.23% | 17,426 | 20,558 |
| EXPLORER | -9.49% | 17,894 | 19,771 | -3.25% | 72,025 | 74,442 |
| F-SERIES | +3.46% | 73,104 | 70,657 | +4.12% | 287,295 | 275,938 |
| FIESTA | -5.35% | 3,151 | 3,329 | -5.64% | 15,449 | 16,373 |
| FLEX | -19.74% | 1,240 | 1,545 | -19.82% | 6,115 | 7,627 |
| FOCUS | -1.49% | 13,001 | 13,197 | -3.72% | 48,047 | 49,902 |
| FUSION | -22.91% | 12,871 | 16,697 | -16.95% | 56,047 | 67,483 |
| GT | +400.00% | 10 | 2 | +614.29% | 50 | 7 |
| HEAVY TRUCKS | -36.85% | 795 | 1,259 | -28.59% | 3,582 | 5,016 |
| MUSTANG | -11.63% | 7,125 | 8,063 | -13.88% | 26,289 | 30,527 |
| POLICE INTERCEPTOR SEDAN | -7.06% | 658 | 708 | -0.55% | 2,528 | 2,542 |
| POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY | -3.94% | 2,971 | 3,093 | +4.04% | 11,644 | 11,192 |
| TAURUS | -18.30% | 2,214 | 2,710 | -27.29% | 9,861 | 13,562 |
| TRANSIT | +4.48% | 12,015 | 11,500 | +1.40% | 42,366 | 41,783 |
| TRANSIT CONNECT | -15.90% | 2,443 | 2,905 | -7.95% | 9,081 | 9,865 |
| FORD TOTAL | -4.33% | 196,133 | 205,004 | -2.76% | 773,252 | 795,223 |
Sales Results - April 2018 - USA - Lincoln
| MODEL | APR 2018 / APR 2017 | APRIL 2018 | APRIL 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONTINENTAL | -13.56% | 867 | 1,003 | -22.32% | 3,272 | 4,212 |
| MKC | -31.80% | 1,859 | 2,726 | -21.79% | 6,755 | 8,637 |
| MKT | +12.92% | 271 | 240 | -22.32% | 783 | 1,008 |
| MKX | -3.25% | 2,263 | 2,339 | -17.92% | 8,491 | 10,345 |
| MKZ | -36.34% | 1,692 | 2,658 | -34.94% | 6,051 | 9,301 |
| NAVIGATOR | +122.44% | 1,566 | 704 | +76.37% | 5,628 | 3,191 |
| LINCOLN TOTAL | -12.10% | 8,518 | 9,691 | -15.76% | 30,980 | 36,774 |
Sales Results - April 2018 - USA - FMC Totals
| BRAND | APR 2018 / APR 2017 | APRIL 2018 | APRIL 2017 | YTD 2018 / YTD 2017 | YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORD TOTAL | -4.33% | 196,133 | 205,004 | -2.76% | 773,252 | 795,223 |
| LINCOLN TOTAL | -12.10% | 8,518 | 9,691 | -15.76% | 30,980 | 36,774 |
| FMC USA TOTAL | -4.68% | 204,651 | 214,695 | -3.34% | 804,232 | 831,997 |
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to Ford Motor Company April 2017 sales, except as noted
- There were 24 selling days in April 2018 and 26 selling days in April 2017
Further Reading & Sales Reporting
- Ford Motor Company news
- Running Ford Motor Company sales numbers
- Running Ford sales numbers
- Running Lincoln sales numbers
- U.S. Ford Motor Company April 2018 sales results
- Ford April 2018 sales results (Ford brand)
- Lincoln April 2018 sales results
Comments
I have to say that I never see an ad for the Ford Fusion, or an ad that chronicles the Ford Fusion Sport. While the foreign manufacturers constantly highlight car models. This is the fundamental reason Ford is discontinuing cars. NO support for car sales especially Fusion. It has become a self fulfilling prophecy. We don’t advertise, lower car sales. Might as well stop selling cars. Without real leadership Ford is dooming itself. If they are going to hand over the car business to Japan, Korea, Europe, and Red China I might as well buy foreign.
Seems to me the writer really failed to convey the importance the difference in selling days makes… only that little line in the end and no further comment!
From the point of view of sales, April this year had 24 days. Last year, it had 26 days. Normally, don’t automakers report “adjusted” sales figures? It’s much closer to being apples to apples… Basically, this April should extend two days into May or March to be comparable to last April. People don’t decide to buy a Ford because it’s April; they might equally buy it on March 31st or May 1st.
So, adjusted, 2018 April sales are up 3.3% year over year from 2017. And retail sales are up 5.5%.
Not trying to spin anything, that’s just the most honest and rational ways to look at sales.