Ford stock continued its upward climb today, reaching a 20-year high and a $100 billion market cap on big hopes for the all-electric F-150 Lightning and plans to lead the industry in battery production capacity by 2025.
After Ford posted a 140% return in 2021 (beating Tesla, which was up 50%), Blue oval stock rose by nearly another 4% today to just over $25 per share, matching a 20-plus-year high as excitement grows about the company’s electric vehicle road map and a seemingly insatiable market demand for the new F-150 Lightning pickup that means the truck is basically “sold out forever.”
It’s not just the Lightning that’s “charging up” Ford’s stock (sorry). The Mustang Mach-E is also in high demand, as are the tough-looking Ford Bronco and affordable, high-MPG Ford Maverick hybrid pickup. The all-electric e-Transit commercial van, too, has found an audience, leading a number of Wall Street analysts to believe there is more upside ahead.
“Ford’s product line-up is the best in decades,” says benchmark analyst Mike Ward, as quoted by Forbes. “Markets in North America, Europe, and China, are positioned to accelerate over the next 3-5 years, and we believe Ford is positioned to generate record levels of profitability.”
Other analysts are singing Ford’s praises, as well.
While there are many OEMs developing and commercializing a range of EVs today,Ford brought to market a product (Mustang Mach-E) that consumers viewed as a truly viable competitor to the Tesla Model Y. Quickly following that, Ford is bringing to market the F-150 Lightning at a sub $40k price point right out of the gate.
Morgan Stanley Research.
The electric push won’t end there. Ford has serious ambitions when it comes to the EV market, with plans to emerge as the number two player in the space behind Tesla in the next two years – and then, challenge the company for the number one spot.
Getting from here to there
The demand for Ford’s electric vehicles seems to be there for the near term, at least. But as the company’s ambitions grow, so will its need for batteries to power those EVs. To that end, Ford has committed to spending the next 24 months building up its global capacity to produce enough batteries for 600,000 BEVs.
If Ford’s PR is to be believed, the blue oval will have the biggest battery manufacturing capacity in the US by 2025.
Electrek’s Take
Ford has been on an enviable home run streak in recent years, starting with the Ford Mustang Mach-E – a vehicle that, to me, was the first truly desirable crossover to hit the market (electric or otherwise). Having the stones to call it the Mustang, and gamble against the credibility of that storied name, was the first clue to industry outsiders that Jim Farley (and, by extension, Ford) would be swinging for the fences.
Whether you’re talking about the Lightning or the Mach-E or whatever the next high-profile EV is to come out of Ford, I’m sure you can agree: We’ve come a long way from the cynical Ford Focus Electric and the age of the lowly compliance car.
Sources | Images: Forbes, Morgan Stanley, Ford.
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