Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Trading Up 5.1% on Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Ford Motor shares rose 5.1% after Bank of America lifted its price target from $17 to $20 and kept a buy rating, helping fuel the stock’s latest jump.
• Trading volume surged to 150.4 million shares, well above the normal daily average, showing unusually strong investor interest in the move.
• Despite mixed analyst views overall, Ford recently beat quarterly earnings estimates and also announced a $0.15 quarterly dividend payable on June 1, supporting the bullish tone around the stock.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) traded up 5.1% during mid-day trading on Friday after Bank of America raised their price target on the stock from $17.00 to $20.00. Bank of America currently has a buy rating on the stock. Ford Motor traded as high as $17.78 and last traded at $17.4930. 150,394,624 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 137% from the average session volume of 63,391,414 shares. The stock had previously closed at $16.65.

Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. UBS Group reduced their price target on Ford Motor from $15.00 to $14.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Zacks Research lowered Ford Motor from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an "equal weight" rating and issued a $14.00 target price on shares of Ford Motor in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group decreased their price target on shares of Ford Motor from $15.00 to $13.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, April 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of Ford Motor in a report on Friday, March 27th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $13.77.

More Ford Motor News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target on Ford Motor Company (F) from $17 to $20 and reiterated a buy rating, signaling more upside from current levels. Benzinga article
• Positive Sentiment: Ford’s recent rally has been fueled by investor optimism around its battery/storage pivot and a new subsidiary, which some traders see as a possible multi-year breakout story. Benzinga article
• Positive Sentiment: Ford is being highlighted as a momentum stock after a sharp post-earnings run, suggesting traders are continuing to buy the stock on technical strength and improving sentiment. Zacks article
• Neutral Sentiment: Media coverage is focusing on Ford’s extended run and asking what could push the stock toward $20 per share, reinforcing the market’s current bullish narrative rather than pointing to a new catalyst. 247WallSt article
• Neutral Sentiment: Ford was also mentioned as a recommended pick on CNBC’s “Final Trades,” which may support near-term trading interest but is not a fundamental update. Benzinga article
• Negative Sentiment: One article noted that legacy automakers like Ford are dealing with weak car sales, even though investors are currently more focused on AI and battery-storage opportunities than on new vehicle demand. Barrons article

Institutional Trading of Ford Motor

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Ford Motor in the fourth quarter worth $674,437,000. DLD Asset Management LP acquired a new position in shares of Ford Motor in the 3rd quarter valued at $299,000,000. Marshall Wace LLP increased its position in shares of Ford Motor by 81.1% in the 3rd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 35,438,722 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock valued at $423,847,000 after acquiring an additional 15,866,285 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Ford Motor by 610.1% in the 4th quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 11,177,304 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $146,646,000 after acquiring an additional 9,603,267 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in Ford Motor by 26.9% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 38,153,383 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $500,572,000 after acquiring an additional 8,086,564 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.74% of the company's stock.

Ford Motor Trading Up 5.1%

The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.60 and a 200 day simple moving average of $13.10. The company has a market cap of $69.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.29, a PEG ratio of 0.35 and a beta of 1.65.

Ford Motor (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 29th. The auto manufacturer reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.18 by $0.48. Ford Motor had a positive return on equity of 15.77% and a negative net margin of 3.22%.The business had revenue of $43.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $42.66 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.14 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Ford Motor Company will post 1.6 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ford Motor Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, May 12th will be issued a $0.15 dividend. This represents a $0.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, May 12th. Ford Motor's dividend payout ratio is -38.71%.

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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