Ford Posts Highest Profits in 10 Years

F-150 King Ranch II

For the first quarter of 2013, Ford posted its highest North American profits in more than a decade, largely due to increased sales of its full-size pickup trucks, the F-150 and Super Duty lineup.

Ford is reporting a $2.1 billion pretax profit for the first quarter for the U.S. and Canada, with wholesale vehicle sales up 17 percent from the same point last year. F-Series pickups are up more than 17 percent for the first three months, with strong sales expected for April as well. Unfortunately, sales are down in South America and Europe with the only good news in those regions coming from the not-for-U.S. Ford Ranger, which is maintaining strong sales in those markets.

"Our strong first quarter results provide further proof that our One Ford plan continues to deliver," Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO, said in a statement. "Our plan remains centered on serving customers in all markets around the world with a full family of vehicles — small, medium and large; cars, utilities and trucks — each with the very best quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value."

For the full first quarter Ford Profits Report, click here.

For the full slide presentation from Ford, click here.

13SuperDuty-Platinum_06 II

Comments


Best quality? That is laughable at best.

Flames
Fire extinguishers
recall after recall
over-rated vehicles
Ford Cars and Trucks.

Ah, thank you FirefighterFred. This is exactly the mature, thoughtful comments that make me come to pickuptrucks.com on a regular basis.

Anyway, I'm not sure we can really give the One Ford strategy the nod here. If the strongest selling vehicle in foreign markets is a non-US Vehicle, and the rest of those markets are losing money, and the US Market owes much of its profitability to non-global vehicles, isn't that a failure of One Ford?

I recognize that basing all small and midsize cars on the same global platform has vastly reduced R&D costs, making those segments profitable above the "slightly more than treading water" line for the first time in ever, but it still seems a bit hollow to give One Ford that level of recognition.

Well with all the Parts they need who wouldn't, imagine if they used knock-off Parts. Yeah they better use Original FORD Parts lol remember Fix or Repair Daily!!!

Yes I said it Fix or Repair Daily!!! Ford Sucks!!!

I respect all trucks, but Super Duty tow mirrors on the F-150 are fugly... I do like Ford's power fold and power extending tow mirrors; I wish the other truck makers would offer these options on tow mirrors.

Ford is certainly doing something right. I've been increasingly liking ford's vehicles for the last ten years. GM has been upping their game recently with everything but trucks but I'm just not liking their trucks right now.

I gave the Atlas some thought since the article came out. I think there is a limit on what is acceptable.

People do buy HDs for SUVs in the US but how many? There is a market but it isn't that large.

There would be a much larger market for midsizers if they weren't penalised through regulations and tariffs in the US.

The Atlas with all of its oh ah factors is not very viable.

From what I've been reading concerning the FTAs between the US, Japan and Korea the US auto industry has a decade to get onto its feet.

Essentially they were given a 10 year grace period. The Atlas if it does come out will be at the end of a era. Full size trucks will gradually phase out until a few are made in 20-30 years. Like what is occuring with our utes.

Us losing the Ford and Holden ute isn't going to impact to much either, other than a few egos.

We are going to end up with global pickups. But don't ask me what a global pickup will be in 20-30 years.

Before some on this site shoots me down, remember we are crytal balling.

"Anyway, I'm not sure we can really give the One Ford strategy the nod here. If the strongest selling vehicle in foreign markets is a non-US Vehicle, and the rest of those markets are losing money, and the US Market owes much of its profitability to non-global vehicles, isn't that a failure of One Ford?"

A core tenet of "One Ford" is platform sharing, which yields significant cost savings through large economies of scale. For example, Ford sold over one million Focuses worldwide last year, all using the same platform. When you're selling that many cars using nearly all of the same parts(regional differences excepted), you can obtain significant cost savings from your suppliers because the costs of production incurred by the suppliers are spread out over huge production runs of parts. In the case of the Focus platform, it enjoys even more cost savings because that platform is shared with the Escape/Kuga, C-MAX, and Transit Connect ... well over one million vehicles worldwide on the same platform. Money in the bank!

That being said, there are other issues which affect profitability such as exchange rates, labor contracts, plant utilization rates, and so forth.

@AllAmerican and FirefighterFred GET A LIFE LOSERS!

@FordTrucks77 is someone's feelings hurt, if I recall you also bash GM, just looking out for the General!!!

I thought Ford profits were up because there has not been a Ford Advertisement article on this website since April 9th? I was going to write my Congressman to include a special provision in the FREE 2014 Obummer medical program to cover the Blue Fool-Aid withdrawal disorder. I believe it may have been caused by the lack of recent Ford advertising articles normally found here.

I'm happy for them, but I just think the F-150s are but ugly and I could never park one in my driveway.

Way to go Ford! Making that cash, with #1 selling name plate using the same 14 year old Super Duty and 8 year old F150.

Ford will probably need all the profits they can get if they keep having all them recalls, and replacing the failed parts for free of charge LOL

Good one Johnny Troll! Got anything intelligent to add, probably not!

Thanks come again!

@Frank lol you sound like one of those 7-11 Arabs "Thanks, come again"

Well its true Frank. Someone has to pay for them free parts and labor to replace that failed or unsafe ones.

The money statistics on this article show why Nissan is still trying to stay in the game (by hiring Fred Diaz). There is a LOT of $$ to be made with a successful half ton pickup.

Please no nasty comments about the Titan or Nissan's chances. No they will not take away Ford's crown, but if they plan right and hit the market with a truck that has attributes the F150 does not have; for example, a load bed that does not require you to be way over 6' tall to use, or a manual transmission model, or a shorter wheelbase ext. cab model with a 6 ft bed that parks easy and is low enough to fit in every multi-story garage, OR A DIESEL. They will take a chunk out of Ford.

It's nice to see Ford doing well ! I hope Ram/Dodge and Gmc also do well. It's good news for American Trucks ...

@All America,

Thank you come again!

@Johnny Troll,
Look bro, if you are going to Troll a Ford post, fine! But get your facts, what makes you think GM/Chevy does not do the same. Come on dude, if you are going to troll, at least do it intelligently, you keep sound like the same ole fool. Grow up bro!

Frank not trying to troll. Fords just had some bad luck with tons of recalls the pass few years. Does GM, Ram have recalls? yes they do, but they haven't had near as many. I'm sure Ford will work on the problems. Just poking a little fun is all.

This post is not regarding the recalls, it's regarding Profit. I would like to see a similar article from GM making $2b profit. Can you find one?

Probably not, since they ain't making anything other than $1b with many more brands of Trucks and Cars. Looks like the faithful don't have much faith in GM.

Sad!!!

I hope the increase of pickup sales is biased towards business rather than private customers. This would show that business activity is improving and hopefully creating jobs down the track.

It would be interesting to see a breakdown on what segments the profits are being made.

If the majority of the profits is driven by pickups then Ford is to reliant on them and needs to diversify where the profits are coming from.

Read this link.

This has been what I've been talking about for the past year. All I get from some of you guys is $hit (not Jeff S).

Open your market and let mid sizer compete and adopt UNECE regs like most of us do and you will still have full size trucks.

Not as many because midsizers will take sales away. Irrespective of what DenverMike/Greg Baird states midsizer will sell more.

But you will still have your V8 pickups.

Read and weep.

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/fuel-to-curb-vf-commodore-exports-20130328-2gvpe.html

people are starting to switch to the better truck.
those who complain about their best towing mirror don't tow so they better stick with GM trucks to get their groceries.
Ford has the best trucks. period.

the real story here is that Ford had a fifteen percent increase in their bottom line, with a TEN PERCENT increase in revenues.

That means that Ford found some big operating efficiencies.

Ford is a very smartly managed firm that would have been an even bigger story during the last 10 years if they had not gone hogwild in the 1990s buying companies like Volvo and Jaguar. Imagine if that capital had been used to create some real R&D.

Ironic that @AllAmerican doesn't want to see an American company do well. He cries and cries on every Ford article and adds absolutely nothing to any conversation that he's a part of. Anyways good for Ford I hope all 3 have strong years. GM should make profit gains from catch up growth.

Is Ford's One Ford Global strategy flawed or failed?
They planned on going from close to 100 nameplates down to 20 - 30 nameplates. They are close to this goal.
The thing that truck guys may not like is the fact that they plan on reversing their truck based platform dependance.
In 2006 Ford was 40% car platforms and 60% truck based platforms. In 2011 they were 55% car based and 45% truck based platforms.
Their goal was to be reversed by 2012.

Even though they make huge profits off of pickup trucks, they obviously are not putting all of their eggs in one basket.

"Polk global market registration data revealed sales of the compact Focus totalled 1,020,410 cars worldwide in 2012 to take the title of world’s best-selling vehicle overall. It also confirmed the Ford Fiesta as the best-selling subcompact car globally, with 723,130 registrations last year."

"Global new vehicle registrations for the Ford F-Series – America’s best-selling pickup for 36 straight years – totalled 785,630 trucks last year, putting it in the No. 3 spot among all vehicles sold worldwide."
http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=37916

Disclaimer - stats from Ford press release.

Ford comes in at 1,2,3 globally.
The F Series in #3 globally
That is why we won't see Ford religiously adhere to 1 Ford Global and
That is why we won't see the Ranger in USA or Canada.
They'd be stupid to shoot the golden goose er pickup truck.

I've always knew Ford made tough trucks because I owned one a while back. I've had all of the big 3 trucks and they were all good with no major problems. The only thing I don't like about them in the last 10 yrs. is the boxy styling and the lack of a better warranty. When you drive 20,000 miles a year a 5/60,000 doesn't hack it. The chances of needing it are slim, but a friend of mine got burned when he had a major problem at 72,000 miles. Ford didn't cut him any slack and it cost him several thousand dollars. If that truck is really tuff then back it up with more than words. When you do, I will buy a new one.

@Lou
It's interesting the Ford one plan. I can't see the F Series being dropped as its a big money spinner for them.

But also the new Escort designed for the Chinese market is another, not so Ford one plan.

But the Escort could be a future Focus.

Ain't it funny how Hemiv6 and Allamerican are quick to put FORD down?? They made some big money and that tells me people are buying them year after year and they are skipping over gm and the spam fiat boys, so boys just let it go, FORD is the best truck made PERIOD!! 2nd and 3rd are just that.

@ All American, Oh I forgot, gm SUX!!!!!!!!!!!

Off topic again baFo? Can you stop pushing your mid-size truck propaganda for 10 minutes??? Small truck had their 'day' in the mid '80s. So did mullets and parachute pants... Been there, DIDN'T DO THAT!!!

There's nothing wrong with more choices, but if global trucks ran wild here, cars, crossovers and SUV sales would dip way more than full-size trucks. None of which are my problem. Besides the low over-all demand and even less profit margin for global mid-size trucks, they would cannibalize their parent OEM's highly profitable cars, crossovers and SUVs.

And global mid-size trucks pay approx 2X more to gain entry into the Australia market (5%!) than they would in the US market.

You guys are living in the past, man... Try pushing the 'come back' of molester vans instead. I guarantee they make a Come Back before small trucks!

Poor quality pickup,,but look good,,,,,,

@Big Al - I think that for the most part, Ford will stick to "One Ford". They will have exceptions.
I'd have to look at the Chinese Focus to be able to agree/disagree with that remark.
This is Ford's Top 10 All Time sales list:

Ford top best sellers of all time:
1. F Series 1948–present = 32,000,000
2. Escort 1968–2003 = 20,000,000
3. Fiesta 1976–present = 16,500,000
4. Model T 1908–1927 = 15,500,000
5. Focus 1998–present = 13,000,000
6. Mustang 1964–present = 10,000,000
7. E Series 1961–2013 = 8,000,000
8. Taurus 1986–present = 8,000,000
9. Ranger 1983–present = 7,500,000
10. Transit 1965 - present = 7,000,000

The Ford Focus is the most recent name plate and it slots in at 13 million units on the all time list but is currently #1 globally.

If one averages sales to units per year, we get an interesting picture:
1. Focus
2. Model T
3. Escort
4. F Series
5. Fiesta
6. Taurus
7. Ranger
8. Mustang
9. E Series
10. Transit

The Ranger's average yearly sales are approximately 1/2 the average sales volumes of F Series. 492,307 versus 250,000.

@Lou
Apparently the Escort will be sold alongside the Focus in China and they are betting the Escort will become the largest selling vehicle in China.

The Escort is a similar size to the Focus, got me beat why Ford will try and sell 2 similar vehicles in one market but not another ie Ranger alongside the F-150.

Soon you will have an anti Ford crowd here in Australia. Ford Australia looks like becoming a significant design centre for Ford Globally.

Maybe we can design the Atlas replacement if it doesn't make it into production:)

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/ford-australias-great-china-hope-just-dont-tell-anyone/story-e6frg6n6-1226625104356

Profits without going through bankruptcy, and without screwing investors and retirees! Un-American!

@Evan Well when it comes to bring jobs to the American People, I'm all thumbs up. When it comes to Competition, Ford is very crappy and I'll leave it at that.

@Kw lol oh man didn't you know that the General sells more Trucks than Old Man Henry lol we out perform Ford in every competition and we don't need any magic dust to boost our numbers. lol and where does that magic dust come from let me think, oh yeah must be brake dust from leaning to the left when braking lol. Wow all those nice looking trucks with dirty rims from all that Magic Dust "Brake Dust"

Yup once more I can freely post Ford Sucks!!!

@AllAmerican You know why Santa Claus drives a Ford? Cause he knows when it breaks he can always wish a new one next year LMAO!

@AllAmerican and johnny doe: Once again, prime examples of the mature, thoughtful comments that we all flock to PUTC just to see.

As far as General Motors selling more than Ford, you're probably right. (And this is a Ford fanboy talking.) If you add up Chevrolet and GMC, I think they are actually slightly higher numbers. But as long as GM insists on promoting Chevrolet and GMC as separate and distinct marques, they will not try to count the sales as the same. They're smart enough (which is more than I can say for you, it seems) to know that you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Regarding your comment on "magic dust," I presume that you're referring to the "magic frame dust" FoMoCo supposedly used to increase the payload on their trucks for the 2012 model year, a theory postulated mostly by trolls and basement-dwelling neckbeards. However, if you had done any research (which I can safely presume you did not), you would have found that the payload is increased only on certain models through the addition of heavier springs and a .15 inch increase in the thickness of the frame. "Brake dust," which I have not heard of in any context prior to your comment, has nothing to do with it.

As far as "all those nice looking trucks" goes, well, thank you for your opinion (and it is your opinion), but it is of general consensus (and by that that, I mean my personal opinion) that the "boxy" styling which has pervaded the design since 2004 (noted in an earlier comment by Fred the man) is less attractive than earlier models, such as the "bullnose" (seventh-generation, 1980-86), "dentside" (sixth-generation, 1973-79), or "bumpside" (fifth-generation, 1967-72)

Santa Claus is well-known not to drive a Ford pickup truck, or even an automobile of any kind, but rather a sleigh that flies through the air, pulled by eight tiny reindeer. (Why he doesn't use Clydesdales is anyone's guess.) Furthermore, he is not known in any tradition to wish for anything; how he comes upon all the toys asked of him by the children of the Western world is, once again, anybody's guess. Maybe it's the Illuminati.

It would do me no good to debate your claim of GM outperforming Ford in every competition, as it would simply devolve into a collection of "pullin' vids" taken from the bad parts of YouTube. But know this: if Chevrolet and/or GMC is so clearly superior to Ford, how is Ford able to outsell them each? Surely the American consumer would not be so unintelligent as to consciously purchase a clearly inferior vehicle. Or perhaps I presume too much.

It's a free country (for now), so yes, you can "freely post Ford Sucks!!! [sic]," even on a private website that may have rules limiting freedom of speech, which you no doubt read and understood fully. But don't expect many people to take you seriously apart from your fellow 12-year-olds. Good night, and don't eat the big white mint.

To anyone else who read this far: I apologize if I wasted your time, and I realize that this comment has little to do with the matter at hand. I also realize that I am probably doing the wrong thing, responding to an Internet troll. But I remembered something that I hoped would help: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." I hope I did my part to train up these children.

@David don't get you're panties so wadded up it's only a joke LOL!!

@David - two thumbs up. I don't expect any thumbs up from the people you have chastised because that would require opposable thumbs.

On that note, GMC did have global #1 sales advantage when posting some of the biggest losses recorded for any global corporation.
In the Top 18 "Biggest Losers" GMC ranked:
#8 - 2007 = 41.59 billion
#10 - 1992 = 37.38 billion
#11 - 2008 = 33.18 billion

When one looks at the largest corporate earnings of all time, Ford came in at # 57 with 20.6 billion. The only other automotive company on the list was Volkswagen. They ranked #17 with 28.6 billion and #60 with 20.3 billion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_corporate_profits_and_losses

If we look at 2012 profit levels:

#13 Volkswagen - 21,425 million
#14 Ford - 20,213 million
#48 GMC - 9,190 million.

Ford easily doubled GMC in profits.

2011 global sales by company:
#1 GMC - 9.03 million
#2 VW - 8.156 million
#6 Ford - 5.3 million
http://visual.ly/2012-global-car-sales-statistics

GMC sells more vehicles globally but makes 1/2 the profits. I am impressed. NOT.....
VW sells similar numbers to GMC and makes double the profits. Ford even outperforms VW on a profit per unit basis.

Please tell me again how GMC outperforms Ford?

@Big Al - the Chinese Ford Escort looks good. When compared to the Fusion - It looks shorter overall. The nose is shorter and the rest of the car also looks more compact.

Good for Ford although I wish chrysler to do the best it is always nice to see a company this big and important to our economy doing well. Now lower prices! lol

When you build the cheapest vehicles and have a flock of sheep that buy them no matter what they are, of course the profits will be massive.

you guys are just mad most of you know nothing about trucks and could never rebuild one so in that factor if you cant rebuild one to original sate you cant say that fords are cheaply made because in the north american trucks reports 28 out of 35 mechanics that have over 30 year of experience said till this day fords are still the best made north american vehicle out there.

Fords are cheaply built??? Have you driven a cookie-cutter tinny-plastic GM vehicle??? Every Ford I have owned has been 100% solid!

Very proud of Ford here. Was a Chevrolet guy in a Ford family for years until the mid/late 90's. Finally switched to Ford and never looked back. Better built vehicles all around. And our trucks didn't become ugly ducklings like Chevrolet's became from 03 forward. I do like the new Corvette though. And the Chevrolet Smallblock is still my favorite engine. That's where it ends for me.

It seems to me that the Dodge and GM fanboys can't give Ford credit for doing well. They make some of the best stuff on the road and the average consumer sees that. Plus they didn't go begging for us taxpayers to bail their sorry as$#@ out. As far as I am concerned they should have been allowed to go under. Screwing the American public for decades finally catches up to a company. Say what you want but Ford is the best American manufacturer. And despite what the"AllAmerican" moron says, GM DOES NOT sell as many trucks as Ford! The only way that you can claim that hair-brain BS is to add up Chevy, GMC, and Avalanche numbers. Ford sells ONE truck line the F-Series! Maybe we should add up F-Series, Explorer, and SportTrac numbers too? And yes Ford has had its share of recalls, but has anyone looked at Toyota lately????



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