NEW YORK, August 5, 2026, 10:08 a.m. EDT
- Ford rose 1.1% to $14.39 in delayed early trade.
- U.S. sales dropped 10.2%, with two discontinued crossovers accounting for 54.2% of the decrease.
- Trucks accounted for 63.0% of total volume, an increase of 5.2 percentage points.
Ford Motor stock climbed on Wednesday, despite a 10.2% drop in July U.S. sales. The results indicated a pronounced move toward trucks, while sales of older crossovers declined.
The sector operated at an annualized sales rate of 16.3 million. Sales dipped by just 1.4%, putting Ford 8.8 percentage points behind its rivals. The Escape and Lincoln Corsair together accounted for 10,497 out of Ford’s 19,362-unit deficit.
Ford reported a 2.2% decrease in truck sales, compared with a 21.3% drop for SUVs. Trucks made up 63.0% of total volume in July, rising from 57.8%.
The broader automotive sector showed mixed performance at the market open.
| Company | Price | Day move | Intraday range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Motor Company NYSE:F | $14.39 | up 1.1% | $14.24–$14.42 |
| General Motors NYSE:GM | $89.49 | up 1.3% | $88.02–$89.89 |
| Stellantis NYSE:STLA | $5.72 | down 2.5% | $5.69–$5.87 |
| Tesla NASDAQ:TSLA | $324.32 | down 0.9% | $320.70–$328.32 |
Quotes are delayed; most recent trades occurred at approximately 9:53 a.m. EDT.
Ford’s U.S. sales director Rob Kaffl described the sales drop as “by design,” attributing it to discontinued models and decreased rental-fleet deliveries. Kaffl referred to July as a “good sales month.” VZ VermögensZentrum
The model bridge illustrates the destination of the lost volume. More than half of the drop was due to a single outgoing pair.
| Model group | July 2026 | July 2025 | Unit change | Share of Ford decline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escape and Lincoln Corsair | 2,771 | 13,268 | -10,497 | 54.2% |
| F-Series | 68,755 | 73,538 | -4,783 | 24.7% |
| Maverick | 15,522 | 12,022 | +3,500 | 18.1% offset |
| Other nameplates, net | 82,903 | 90,485 | -7,582 | 39.2% |
| Ford total | 169,951 | 189,313 | -19,362 | 100.0% |
The gain for Maverick is displayed as an offset. Percentages use Ford’s reported unit figures as the basis for calculation.
Monthly sales figures do not include transaction prices or customer incentives. Nevertheless, the product mix for July is consistent with Ford’s ongoing profit trends.
Ford Blue reported a second-quarter EBIT increase of $474 million, bringing the total to $1.14 billion. While wholesales declined by 8%, revenue edged up by 1%. The margin improved to 4.4%, compared to 2.6%.
Chief Financial Officer Sherry House stated, “Our industrial system is getting fitter.” Reuters
The progress was not consistent.
| Ford segment | Wholesales YoY | Revenue YoY | Q2 2026 EBIT | EBIT change | Margin: 2026 / 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Blue | -8% | +1% | $1.135 billion | +$474 million | 4.4% / 2.6% |
| Ford Pro | -13% | -5% | $1.718 billion | -$600 million | 9.7% / 12.3% |
| Ford Model e | -53% | -56% | -$919 million | Loss reduced by $410 million | -89.6% / -56.4% |
Ford increased its 2026 adjusted EBIT outlook to a range of $10 billion to $11 billion. The company also raised its adjusted free-cash-flow forecast to between $6 billion and $7 billion. Adjusted earnings came in at 42 cents, surpassing the 35-cent consensus estimate from LSEG LON:LSEG.
Following the earnings report, analysts boosted their targets, though opinions remain mixed. MarketBeat’s sample of 18 analysts includes eight with positive recommendations, nine advising to hold, and one with a sell rating. The average target climbed 6.7% within a month, reaching $15.68.
| Date | Analyst | Firm | Recommendation | Target action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 31 | — | DZ Bank | Sell raised to Hold | $16.00 |
| July 30 | James Picariello | BNP Paribas Exane EPA:BNP | Neutral | Target increased from $14.00 to $14.50 |
| July 29 | Michael Ward | Citigroup NYSE:C | Neutral upgraded to Buy | Target lifted from $19.00 to $20.00 |
| July 29 | Rajat Gupta | JPMorgan Chase NYSE:JPM | Overweight | Target raised from $16.00 to $17.00 |
| July 29 | Alexander Potter | Piper Sandler NYSE:PIPR | Overweight | Target raised from $16.00 to $17.00 |
| July 27 | Philippe Houchois | Jefferies Financial Group NYSE:JEF | Hold increased to Buy | Target updated from $14.50 to $17.50 |
The mix argument only goes so far. Ford’s hybrid sales dropped 25.1%, even as hybrid sales across the industry rose 19.6%. Average industry incentives climbed 8.1% to $3,451 per vehicle.
Risks: Sales of the F-Series declined by 6.5%. Ford Model e faces an anticipated loss of approximately $4 billion this year. Increasing incentives may also offset benefits from the higher-value truck lineup.
The outlook for investors is straightforward. Ford needs to turn its transition to trucks into ongoing Blue segment profitability and steady cash generation.
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