Following a period when it surged in value thanks to exciting new product launches and big EV investments, Ford stock began to stumble last year amid skyrocketing commodities costs, inflation in general, and fears that a recession was looming. Then, in October, the investment bank UBS Group AG downgraded Ford stock from “Neutral” to “Sell” amid rising concerns over a recession not only in the U.S., but also in Europe. Prior to revealing its disappointing year-end financial results last week, Ford stock remained rather stable, but has fallen double digits in the days since, and now, Deutsche Bank has also downgraded its outlook as well, according to Seeking Alpha.
After Ford stock slid 10 percent following its earnings call, Deutsche Bank downgraded it from “Hold” to “Sell,” while also cutting its price target from $13 per share to $11. Meanwhile, the consensus rating across all investment banks has shifted downward as well, but to “Hold” rather than “Sell.”
“We are downgrading our Ford rating to Sell, following its large Q4 ’22 miss and new aggressive 2023 guidance, which in our view showcase considerable operational shortfalls and suggest meaningful downside risk to earnings trajectory,” said Deutsche Bank equity analyst Emmanuel Rosner. “Management blamed supply chain conditions but also recognized its suboptimal material economics and poor operational execution. We also worry about its limited visibility into its supply base.”
This increased pessimism from Wall Street isn’t surprising given the fact that FoMoCo “left about $2 billion of profit on the table due to cost and especially continued supply chain issues,” in the words of CEO Jim Farley, who was admitted “frustrated” by the automaker’s performance. However, Farley also noted that the automaker is “committed companywide to implement a lean operating system that will scrub billions of dollars of waste out of our company.”
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Comments
This was inevitable and probably a safe move because if Deutsche didn’t downgrade people would question quality of their analysis.
This all due to a leadership failure. Maybe Jim is too distracted with racing Formula 1 . It’s time for Ford to bring in new leadership.
Maybe you are just silly.
How soon before the stockholders take over and do a major shakeup?
Sorry to disappoint you but it’s going to be a while no matter what seeds of revolt you try to plant.
I’m a stockholder and already starting the process. 😉 My “garden” is starting to sprout..
No surprise. This is exactly what happens when a company is run with ideals instead of hard numbers. Someone mentioned Toyota (good example), they let numerical data guide them and are doing a stellar job. We don’t care about EVs, actually, America is the opposite. Just look at all the big trucks and SUVs Americans drive, foreigners can’t wrap their heads around it (welcome to freedom). Farley is one of those fools who uses Communist phrases like, “you don’t ‘need’…” Americans love their vehicles and the numbers showed during their busted earnings report that EVs are a bust. Who wants to pay $20K+ for a new replacement battery that the industry says “should” last 10 years, no one does.
Oh now we have treynoldBS coming in with a melange of the old scripted nonsense with a dash of nationalist fervor and culture wars gobbledegook for gullible fools.
TL:DR Toyota is scrambling to catch up, now developing a corporate BEV platform, because Mr Toyoda slept on a bed of hybrid laurels. (Mr Toyoda got kicked out of CEO job up to Chairman, because what else can you do with a dynastic scion?)
Here’s just one of several pieces that backs up the present back footed state of Toyota’s situation:
Growing up with Fords and Mustangs this is painful to see someone so misguided by unicorn EVs that he is single handedly destroying Ford. I live in a progressive area and people don’t want EVs, as Farley is learning the hard way. Not to mention under him Ford has to set aside the highest amount of money for warranty issues out of any other industry in the world (electronics, aviation, appliances, computers, etc, etc). The truck division at Ford is the only competent area, whoever runs the truck side should be CEO instead. Farley deserves all of this.
LoL “progressive area” K-street BS detector swung so hard it launched the needle past the Chinese balloon.
Your troll team has talked about warranty provision set asides before but with no citations or context.
Ford has historically high warranty costs, Farley himself has even transparently said this, but the framing you use is nonsense exaggeration without context and citations.