Ford Motor (NYSE:F) Rating Increased to Buy at UBS Group

UBS Group upgraded shares of Ford Motor (NYSE:F) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. UBS Group currently has $15.00 price target on the auto manufacturer’s stock.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Ford Motor from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Evercore raised their target price on shares of Ford Motor from $12.00 to $14.00 and gave the company an “in-line” rating in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Ford Motor in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $17.00 target price on the stock. Piper Sandler raised shares of Ford Motor from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $11.00 to $16.00 in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a “sector perform” rating and set a $12.00 price objective on shares of Ford Motor in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $13.74.

Ford Motor Stock Up 4.4%

Shares of NYSE F opened at $12.69 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $50.63 billion, a PE ratio of -6.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.28 and a beta of 1.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.95. Ford Motor has a 1 year low of $9.29 and a 1 year high of $14.80. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $12.67 and its 200-day moving average is $12.95.

Ford Motor (NYSE:F) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The auto manufacturer reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.06 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $45.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $41.78 billion. Ford Motor had a negative net margin of 4.37% and a positive return on equity of 10.16%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.39 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Ford Motor will post 1.47 EPS for the current year.

Ford Motor Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th were paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 13th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.7%. Ford Motor’s payout ratio is presently -29.13%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, insider William Clay Ford, Jr. purchased 140,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $13.82 per share, with a total value of $1,934,800.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider owned 3,912,600 shares in the company, valued at $54,072,132. This represents a 3.71% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.63% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of F. Corsicana & Co. bought a new position in Ford Motor in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Grove Bank & Trust lifted its stake in Ford Motor by 110.7% in the fourth quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 1,903 shares of the auto manufacturer’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ford Motor in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ford Motor in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ford Motor in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Institutional investors own 58.74% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Ford Motor

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

• Positive Sentiment: UBS upgraded Ford from Neutral to Buy and kept a $15 12-month price target, saying earnings upside over the next several years is underappreciated — that upgrade was the primary intraday catalyst lifting the stock. Ford upgraded to ‘Buy’ on improving earnings outlook
• Neutral Sentiment: Heightened analyst and media attention (Zacks, 247WallSt, Finbold) has made F a trending name; increased visibility can amplify moves both ways but doesn’t change fundamentals by itself. Here is What to Know Beyond Why Ford Motor Company (F) is a Trending Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Jim Farley’s public call to keep high tariffs on Chinese automakers raises the stakes on trade/regulatory policy — this could protect US OEMs (a positive for margins if enacted) but also increases political controversy and regulatory uncertainty. Ford CEO Jim Farley warns Chinese cars sales in US would be ‘devastating’
• Negative Sentiment: Goldman Sachs trimmed its price target to $13 and maintained a Neutral rating, which dampens upside expectations and provides a counterbalance to UBS’ bullish view. That downgrade/target cut is a headwind for further near-term gains. Benzinga

Ford Motor Company Profile

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.