Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Stock Price Up 1.4% - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Ford shares rose 1.4% on Friday, trading as high as $14.55 amid heavier-than-usual volume, though the stock remained close to its recent range.
• Two recent developments look supportive: Ford and Geely announced a Europe-focused joint venture at Ford’s Valencia plant to build low- and zero-emission vehicles, and Ford said Apple Maps will be embedded in upcoming EVs to support BlueCruise features.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but improving, with several firms raising price targets and some upgrading the stock; however, the broader consensus remains Hold with a target price of $14.79.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) rose 1.4% on Friday . The stock traded as high as $14.55 and last traded at $14.3450. 76,457,996 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 26% from the average session volume of 60,863,387 shares. The stock had previously closed at $14.15.

More Ford Motor News

Here are the key news stories impacting Ford Motor this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ford and Geely announced a Europe-focused joint venture at Ford’s Valencia plant, where the partners will build low- and zero-emission vehicles and jointly develop new models. The deal should improve plant utilization, support jobs, and help Ford expand its European lineup. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Ford also said Apple Maps will be embedded in upcoming EVs, with the software helping power next-generation BlueCruise hands-free driving features. That suggests Ford is adding higher-end tech to its next wave of lower-cost electric vehicles. Article Title

Analysts Set New Price Targets

F has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Zacks Research raised Ford Motor from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Ford Motor from $13.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, June 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on Ford Motor from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of Ford Motor from $13.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Ford Motor from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $14.79.

Ford Motor Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $57.16 billion, a P/E ratio of -9.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.82. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $14.40 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $13.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.09.

Ford Motor (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, April 29th. The auto manufacturer reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.48. The business had revenue of $43.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $42.66 billion. Ford Motor had a positive return on equity of 15.77% and a negative net margin of 3.22%.Ford Motor's quarterly revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.14 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Ford Motor Company will post 1.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ford Motor Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 12th were paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.2%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 12th. Ford Motor's dividend payout ratio is currently -38.71%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ford Motor

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ford Motor during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new position in Ford Motor in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Ford Motor during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Johnson Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Ford Motor by 55.4% during the third quarter. Johnson Financial Group Inc. now owns 2,348 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 837 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID increased its holdings in shares of Ford Motor by 108.4% during the first quarter. Legacy Wealth Managment LLC ID now owns 2,365 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 1,230 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.74% of the company's stock.

About Ford Motor

Ford Motor Company NYSE: F is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. Founded by Henry Ford in 1903, the company became an early pioneer of mass-production techniques with the Model T and the adoption of the moving assembly line. Today, Ford designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad range of vehicles and mobility solutions under the Ford and Lincoln brands, spanning passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and commercial vehicles.

Ford's business activities extend beyond vehicle production to include parts and aftermarket services, fleet and commercial sales, and automotive financing through Ford Motor Credit Company.

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