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USA Today
2 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
Ford sales surge 16.3% in May amid employee pricing and tariff concerns
Ford sales surge 16.3% in May amid employee pricing and tariff concerns Show Caption Hide Caption Ford Motor Company: Understanding the automaker's history, legacy Explore the rich history of Ford Motor Company, from its groundbreaking assembly line innovations to iconic cars like the Model T, Mustang, and F-150. Ford saw sales surge 16% to 220,959 in May compared with the year-ago period. Ford's employee pricing helped the sales volume as did consumers wanting to get ahead of future price hikes. Ford Motor Co. reported sales gains in May as its employee pricing program continues and consumers looked to get ahead of future tariff-driven price hikes. A year-over-year 16.3% gain in Ford's monthly sales allowed some on Wall Street to exhale even though the road ahead remains uncertain. "The monthly sales were better than feared and is a small step in the right direction," Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, on June 3. But there's "still a lot of wood to chop ahead for (CEO) Jim Farley and Ford with tariffs and demand issues." For the month, Ford reported total sales rose 16.3% to 220,959 vehicles sold compared with the year-ago period. Sales of its SUVs surged 25% when compared with May 2024 to 94,595 SUVs sold. Sales of pickups rose 11.2% to 121,354 units sold. But sales of Ford's electric vehicles plunged 25% to 6,723 EVs sold as overall consumer demand for EVs has slowed. Ford's F-150 Lightning EV sold just 1,902, a 42% decline, which also brought down the segment. Ford's luxury brand, Lincoln, reported a 39% increase in sales to 11,573 vehicles sold. Year to date, Ford Motor's total sales are up 6.1% to 930,925 vehicles sold compared with the first five months of 2024. Of the Detroit-based automakers, only Ford reports monthly sales. 'Momentum in Dearborn' The automaker has been offering employee pricing to all U.S. customers since April 3. Analysts said the program, which runs to July 6, is driving volume. Also, some car buyers want to get ahead of possible price increases if President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and parts stick. "In terms of straight-up sales volumes, Ford has been gaining momentum in 2025 − the brand grabbed sales gains in February, March, April and now May; volume in May was the best in more than five years," Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, told the Free Press. "In Dearborn, the marketing team is likely celebrating their new American Made campaign, which may well be driving sales." Since January, Ford has beat the drum in the media about how it is the most "American" car company of all, with 80% of the vehicles it sells in the United States also being assembled here. "There's no denying Ford's success this spring," Chesbrough said. "Smart pricing, good product, the right marketing campaign − it's all come together for them recently. There is definitely momentum in Dearborn right now." Ford sales helped by discounts Ford's employee pricing program isn't just appealing to one type of buyer either, considering that many vehicles across the board and at an array of price points all saw sales gains, said Ivan Drury, director of Insights at In case you missed it: Tesla tops list of 10 most 'American' cars on the market For example, sales of the the 2025 Ford Escape, which starts at $28,150, soared by 24% to 17,395 sold in May. Likewise, the 2025 Ford Explorer, which starts at $40,050, saw its sales surge to 20,504 units, a 23% gain compared with May 2024. "The messaging didn't just resonate with the super-budget-conscious buyer," Drury said. "Also, last I recall, Ford had some of the most bloated inventories with vehicle lot times still in the 80-plus days range until being sold; therefore, this is certainly helping dealers get some dusty vehicles off the lot." Drury said Ford's strong monthly sales, however, are not indicative of what is to come for the rest of the year given that Ford announced future price increases. "But that, too, could be playing into the psyche of buyers who are watching the market," Drury said. "Pull-ahead sales; why wait when you know you're staring at a higher price in the future?" Average prices remain strong In early May, Ford raised the prices on three of its Mexico-produced models, becoming one of the first major automakers to adjust sticker prices in response to Trump's tariffs. Prices on the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, Maverick pickup and Bronco Sport rose by as much as $2,000 on some models. Still, in May, Ford sold 4,724 Mach-E EVs, an 11% gain compared with the year-ago period. May sales of the Maverick rose 14% to 15,508 units sold, and sales of the Bronco Sport surged to 14,472, a 46% increase. Ford said in its first-quarter earnings last month that Trump's trade war would add about $1.5 billion in net costs for 2025. Earlier in June, Ford Chair John Lawler said the automaker would adjust its operations and footprint over the next 12 to 24 months to find ways to mitigate the costs of tariffs. Despite the employee pricing program, Drury said Ford's prices have held up. The average transaction price across Ford and Lincoln in May was $54,314, with an average discount of $3,962. That compares with April, when the average transaction price was $53,398 with a discount of $3,792, and March, when it was $53,909 and a discount of $2,481. "The mix of pricier vehicles is holding up the average despite the deeper discount," Drury said. Looking for a slowdown Still, Morningstar's auto analyst David Whiston said carmakers' sales provide little insight into the health of their overall operations. "The sales chart itself only tells you so much because it tells you nothing on pricing/incentives," Whiston said. "Pricing likely was not as good as it could have been due to employee pricing. Light-truck numbers looked great, new Navigator did well, and (hybrid) won out over (all electric)." Whiston noted how the the publicly traded auto dealership companies were optimistic in their first-quarter earnings that new car sales and pricing would remain solid for the rest of the year. He is more skeptical. "I think they'll be a bit of a slowdown but not a crash," Whiston said. Jamie L. LaReau is the senior autos writer who covers Ford Motor Co. for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Jamie at jlareau@ Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. To sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford gets a sales bump on employee pricing despite tariffs
Ford Motor Company (F) reported a 16% increase in year-over-year sales in May, led by an upticks in hybrid and traditional vehicle sales. Ford's deliveries were buoyed by a surge in Bronco and Bronco Sport purchases, which saw 51.1% and 45.7% jumps respectively. But the company's electric vehicle sales nosedived, with a 25% overall decrease, brought down by a precipitous 41.7% drop in sales for its F-150 Lightning EV. Lincoln posted positive figures, seeing a 133% increase in sales of its Navigator SUV. Ford, which did not immediately return a request for comment, told CNBC its employee pricing program deal, which allows anyone in the U.S. to buy select vehicles at the price it gives employees, helped 'drive strong sale results.' The deal went into effect as a response to President Donald Trump's 25% tariff on auto imports. While Ford did offer sales, the company has also increased prices on its cars made in Mexico, citing tariffs as the reason. Despite Ford's positive news, things aren't looking as bright for the rest of the auto industry, as it remains to be seen how tariffs will affect the industry long-term. Cox Automotive said last week it expects May sales to cool overall following a surge in purchases to beat tariffs. That increase in purchases also led car inventory to drop 10% to 2.8 million between April and May, according to Automotive News, making sales more difficult. That's made more complicated by the GOP's assault on EVs, which comes as many carmakers are releasing new models of electric vehicles. House Republicans have proposed ending Inflation Reduction Act tax credits for buyers, and the Trump administration is rolling back auto emissions standards. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford leads sales gains in May as employee price cuts offset Trump's tariffs... for now
Automakers led by Ford (F) saw big sales gains in May as price cuts and shedding inventories blunted the effect of President Trump's auto tariffs. The question is how long they can maintain pricing in lieu of trade deals, which have been elusive. Ford reported sales jumped 16.3% in May to just under 221K units, the automaker's best May since 2019 and the third straight month of sales gains. Truck sales surged 16% compared to a year ago, led by F-series pickups, Ranger midsize pickups, and the Maverick compact pickup, which moved over 15K units, a new sales record. Ford's hybrid sales jumped 29% to nearly 23K units, a new sales record as well. The only down note was the F-150 Lightning EV, which saw sales drop 42%, leading Ford's overall EV sales to fall 25%. The company's SUV sales—which include the Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, and Expedition — all saw big gains as well. Ford rode its employee pricing plan scheme, which offered big discounts to all buyers starting on May 1, to great effect. The carmaker likely took market share from rivals GM (GM) and Stellantis (STLA), which opted not to use the so-called employee discount plans. GM and Stellantis do not report monthly sales. But Ford is now hiking prices on the popular Maverick, Mustang Mach-E, and Bronco Sport by as much as $2,000, as these models are made in Mexico and subject to the 25% auto tariffs, though USMCA—qualifying cars can have the value of US-made parts backed out. Korean stalwarts Hyundai (HYMTF) and Kia ( also reported sales gains in May. Hyundai reported sales rose 8% to 84,521 units, while Kia sales jumped 5% to 79,007 units. Hyundai said SUVs like the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade set May sales records, with Kia claiming the same for the Telluride and Sportage SUVs, as well as the Carnival minivan and K4 sedan. Hyundai kept its sales momentum going by freezing prices through June 2 in response to tariffs and offering price cuts on certain models. Kia cut the price of its EV9 SUV by moving production to its plant in Georgia. Despite the gains registered by Ford, Kia, and Hyundai, the problem remains that tariffs are still in place. Ford projects that tariffs will hit full-year EBIT profits by $1.5 billion, while GM claims its profits could drop by as much as $5 billion without mitigating efforts. This story is developing. Honda and Toyota will report sales later today. Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford leads sales gains in May as employee price cuts offset Trump's tariffs... for now
Automakers led by Ford (F) saw big sales gains in May as price cuts and shedding inventories blunted the effect of President Trump's auto tariffs. The question is how long they can maintain pricing in lieu of trade deals, which have been elusive. Ford reported sales jumped 16.3% in May to just under 221K units, the automaker's best May since 2019 and the third straight month of sales gains. Truck sales surged 16% compared to a year ago, led by F-series pickups, Ranger midsize pickups, and the Maverick compact pickup, which moved over 15K units, a new sales record. Ford's hybrid sales jumped 29% to nearly 23K units, a new sales record as well. The only down note was the F-150 Lightning EV, which saw sales drop 42%, leading Ford's overall EV sales to fall 25%. The company's SUV sales—which include the Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, and Expedition — all saw big gains as well. Ford rode its employee pricing plan scheme, which offered big discounts to all buyers starting on May 1, to great effect. The carmaker likely took market share from rivals GM (GM) and Stellantis (STLA), which opted not to use the so-called employee discount plans. GM and Stellantis do not report monthly sales. But Ford is now hiking prices on the popular Maverick, Mustang Mach-E, and Bronco Sport by as much as $2,000, as these models are made in Mexico and subject to the 25% auto tariffs, though USMCA—qualifying cars can have the value of US-made parts backed out. Korean stalwarts Hyundai (HYMTF) and Kia ( also reported sales gains in May. Hyundai reported sales rose 8% to 84,521 units, while Kia sales jumped 5% to 79,007 units. Hyundai said SUVs like the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade set May sales records, with Kia claiming the same for the Telluride and Sportage SUVs, as well as the Carnival minivan and K4 sedan. Hyundai kept its sales momentum going by freezing prices through June 2 in response to tariffs and offering price cuts on certain models. Kia cut the price of its EV9 SUV by moving production to its plant in Georgia. Despite the gains registered by Ford, Kia, and Hyundai, the problem remains that tariffs are still in place. Ford projects that tariffs will hit full-year EBIT profits by $1.5 billion, while GM claims its profits could drop by as much as $5 billion without mitigating efforts. This story is developing. Honda and Toyota will report sales later today. Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ford's April US sales rise 16%, EV sales plummet
Ford Motor on Thursday reported a 16% rise in U.S. auto sales for April, aided by strong truck demand and its employee pricing program. Still, its EV sales fell 40%. Demand for vehicles has remained strong, with consumers trying to quickly snap up vehicles before prices potentially surge after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies. Toyota Motors' North American unit also reported a 23.5% rise in U.S. vehicle sales for April at 35,174 units. Ford announced discounts across multiple models in April, leaning on its healthy inventory to offer customers thousands of dollars off as competitors hiked prices to absorb tariff costs. Sales of Ford's pickup trucks, which includes its F series and compact Maverick models, rose 23% at 99,954 units. The Mustang Mach-E, an electric vehicle, notched a 40% decrease in sales year-over-year, and F-150 Lightning EV truck sales were down 17%. A Ford spokesperson said the poor EV sales were due to the model year changeover for the two vehicles and low supply on dealer lots. Going into the month of April, Mach-E and F-150 Lightning were operating nationwide on 9 and 19 dealer days' supply, respectively, Ford said, adding that May sales were expected to increase. Meanwhile, sales of Ford's hybrid vehicles surged 30% in April.
