NEW YORK, Jan 9, 2026, 04:05 EST — Premarket
- Ford stock was last up 4.8% at $14.40 after a broker upgrade lifted the shares
- Ford said it will bring Level 3 “eyes-off” driver assistance to market in 2028
- Focus turns to the U.S. jobs report on Friday and Ford’s Feb. 10 earnings update
Ford Motor (F.N) shares rose 4.8% to $14.40 on Thursday after Piper Sandler upgraded the automaker, pushing the stock toward recent highs as U.S. markets head into Friday’s session.
The timing matters. Detroit’s big carmakers are trimming or reshaping electric-vehicle plans as demand cools and U.S. policy shifts hit incentives, leaving investors quick to reward moves that protect margins and cash. General Motors on Thursday said it would take a $6 billion EV-related charge as it scaled back investment, a reminder of how fast the EV math is changing.
Ford, speaking at CES in Las Vegas, said it would bring Level 3 driver assistance to market in 2028 — a step up that allows drivers to take their hands and eyes off the road on certain highways. Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV, digital and design officer, said the feature would come for an extra fee and the company is still weighing the pricing model. “We’re also learning a lot about the business model,” Field said. reuters.com
Piper Sandler analyst Alexander Potter raised Ford to “overweight” from “neutral” and lifted his price target to $16 from $11. Potter argued the pullback from early, loss-making EV programs could set up stronger results in 2026; he flagged about $1.5 billion of potential lift to EBIT, a measure of operating profit. “Positive earnings revisions seem likely,” he wrote. MarketWatch
Ford touched $14.50 in Thursday trading and more than 150 million shares changed hands, roughly double its recent average volume, MarketBeat data showed. The stock is trading above its 50-day moving average near $13.22 and its 200-day around $12.20 — levels some traders use as a quick read on momentum.
Friday brings a macro test before the opening bell: the U.S. employment report for December is due at 8:30 a.m. ET, a release that can swing rate expectations and, in turn, auto financing costs. Economists polled by Reuters forecast about 60,000 jobs added and the unemployment rate edging down to 4.5%.
But the upside case is not clean. Paid software features can be hard to monetize at scale, and advanced driving systems carry regulatory, safety and liability risks that can flare quickly if rollouts stumble or consumers balk at added fees.
The next hard catalyst for Ford investors is Feb. 10, when the company plans to report fourth-quarter and full-year results and update its outlook. That report will put fresh numbers around cash flow, spending and how fast Ford’s reset is filtering through the income statement.
