Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Upgraded to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Ford from a "sell" to a "buy" rating, marking a notable change in third‑party sentiment on the stock.
• Ford beat Q1 expectations (EPS $0.66 vs. $0.18; revenue $43.25B) and raised guidance after a one‑time $1.3B tariff refund, but investors remain cautious about sustainability given ongoing EV unit losses and a recent vehicle recall.
• Insider William Clay Ford, Jr. purchased 140,000 shares at about $13.82, while overall sell‑side coverage is mixed and the MarketBeat consensus rating is a Hold with a $13.59 price target.

Ford Motor (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Saturday.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Ford Motor from $11.00 to $10.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Ford Motor from $15.00 to $13.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 14th. TD Cowen dropped their price objective on shares of Ford Motor from $14.00 to $13.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday. Piper Sandler raised shares of Ford Motor from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $11.00 to $16.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada increased their target price on shares of Ford Motor from $11.00 to $13.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Thursday. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ford Motor currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $13.59.

Ford Motor Price Performance

NYSE:F opened at $11.90 on Friday. Ford Motor has a 52 week low of $9.88 and a 52 week high of $14.80. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.84. The company has a market capitalization of $47.45 billion, a P/E ratio of -7.67, a P/E/G ratio of 0.27 and a beta of 1.66. The stock's fifty day moving average is $12.35 and its two-hundred day moving average is $12.98.

Ford Motor (NYSE:F - Get Free Report) last issued 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $42.66 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.14 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Ford Motor will post 1.53 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider William Clay Ford, Jr. bought 140,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 19th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $13.82 per share, with a total value of $1,934,800.00. Following the purchase, the insider directly owned 3,912,600 shares of the company's stock, valued at $54,072,132. This trade represents a 3.71% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.63% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of F. Caxton Associates LLP acquired a new position in Ford Motor during the 1st quarter worth $304,000. Empowered Funds LLC grew its stake in Ford Motor by 41.6% during the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 147,760 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $1,482,000 after purchasing an additional 43,385 shares in the last quarter. Jump Financial LLC acquired a new position in Ford Motor during the 2nd quarter worth $172,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its stake in Ford Motor by 26.3% during the 2nd quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 267,895 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $2,907,000 after purchasing an additional 55,741 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina grew its stake in Ford Motor by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 1,823,614 shares of the auto manufacturer's stock worth $19,786,000 after purchasing an additional 26,526 shares in the last quarter. 58.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Ford Motor

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and upgraded outlook: Ford reported stronger-than-expected Q1 revenue and earnings and raised 2026 guidance after recognizing a one‑time $1.3B tariff refund, which materially improved near‑term profitability. Ford tops Q1 profit forecasts and boosts outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Tariff refund lifted results: The one‑time $1.3B benefit was a key driver of the beat and the guidance lift — a clear near‑term cash/profitability positive but not a recurring earnings driver. Ford books $1.3 billion tariff refund
• Positive Sentiment: Support for income investors: Coverage highlighting Ford’s secure dividend and strong cash generation from Ford Pro/Ford Blue may bolster demand from yield‑focused holders. Income Investors Can Rely on Ford's Dividend
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst changes are mixed: UBS and TD Cowen trimmed price targets (UBS still at "buy"; TD Cowen moved to "hold"), while RBC raised its target — the net effect is mixed guidance from sell‑side models. Analyst coverage notes
• Neutral Sentiment: Leadership/PR moves: Ford named a new Chief Investor Relations Officer and launched a U.S. marketing campaign offering employee pricing — these support investor outreach and demand generation but are not immediate financial catalysts. Ford appoints Chief IR Officer
• Negative Sentiment: EV losses and one‑time items worried investors: Several reports note that investors are discounting the Q1 beat because a portion came from the one‑time tariff benefit while ongoing losses at the Model e/EV unit persist, reducing conviction in sustainably higher margins. Ford shares fall as EV losses overshadow Q1 beat
• Negative Sentiment: Recall announced: Ford is recalling about 179,698 U.S. vehicles over a loose bolt in a front‑seat frame, creating potential warranty/repair costs and short‑term operational distraction. Ford recalls about 180,000 vehicles
• Negative Sentiment: Investor focus on sustainability of earnings: Because some of the earnings beat was driven by non‑recurring items, traders are trading the stock on near‑term fundamentals (EV losses, recalls, and downgrade risk) rather than the headline beat, which likely pressured the share price today. Tariff refund lifts guidance but raises questions

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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