Ford Motor Company Q3 Earnings Preview: UAW Strike Impact, Electric Vehicles, Margins And More

Automaker Ford Motor Company F is set to report third-quarter financial results after market close Thursday, Oct. 26.

Here's a look at the earnings estimates, what analysts are saying and key items to watch.

Ford Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Ford to report third-quarter revenue of $41.22 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company reported revenue of $37.19 billion in the third quarter of last year and revenue of $42.43 billion in the second quarter of the current fiscal year.

Ford has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in the last six straight quarters.

Analysts expect the company to report earnings per share of 45 cents for the third quarter compared to earnings per share of 30 cents in the prior year's third quarter.

In the comparable quarter last year, Ford reported vehicle sales that were up 7.7% and electric vehicle sales that were 14.8% higher. Sales of 20,962 electric vehicles marked a company record in the comparable quarter.

Related Link: UAW Strikes Mapped, Where Are Union Workers At Ford, GM And Stellantis Striking

What Ford Analysts Are Saying: Ford analysts have been quiet ahead of the third-quarter report.

The impact on Ford's stock price from the ongoing UAW strike could present an opportunity for investors, RBC Capital analyst Tom Narayan recently said.

The analyst, who has a Sector Perform rating and $12 price target for the stock, said negative sentiment could create a near-term investment opportunity in Ford. The impact of the UAW strike could be exaggerated and strong consumer demand could make up for the impact, he said.

"The bigger problem would be if price mix falls because of affordability," Narayan said in an interview with Yahoo Finance.

The analyst said a strike that lasts months could have a large impact on Ford.

"They're moving closer to each other, so that's why I don't really think it'll be months and months."

The analyst said the impact on margins will be hundreds of basis points due to wage increases moving forward.

Other analyst ratings on Ford ahead of the earnings report include:

Morgan Stanley: Overweight, $16 price target

UBS: Initiates with Buy (September), $15 price target

Key Items to Watch: There is no greater item to watch with Ford's earnings report and conference call than updates on the UAW strike.

Analysts and investors will be looking for any comments on the ongoing strike and how close negotiations are to a deal.

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford recently spoke out and said the UAW should work together with the company to get a deal done. Ford also said the real issue wasn't between Ford and the UAW, but instead against overseas automotive competitors and emerging Chinese companies.

UAW President Shawn Fain fought back on the comments and said the strikes aren't against foreign companies, but rather are against corporate greed.

Ford CEO Jim Farley also spoke out about how often Fain is on television during the strikes.

Any update from Ford on the financial impact of the strike could also be a key item for investors.

Electric vehicles will be another key item to watch for Ford. The company reported record sales in the third quarter, but competitors have cited potential demand issues, and some have lowered prices.

EV sales were up 14.8% year-over-year in the third quarter. Benzinga also shared that Ford had the second bestselling SUV in the U.S. for the month of August with the Mustang Mach-E, a vehicle that Ford reported saw strong demand in the third quarter.

The upcoming launch of the Tesla Cybertruck in November could also be a key talking point to hear what kind of impact Ford thinks the competition could have on its F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck.

The operating losses for the company's Model E electric vehicle have been a topic of debate, with the company losing money on the project. In the second quarter, the company said it sees the Model E segment hitting an EBIT loss of $4.5 billion. Any change to this figure could be a big talking point for or against Ford stock.

The impact of the strike on Ford’s electric vehicle ramp-up is another key item to watch; Tesla has been mentioned many times as the ultimate winner of the UAW strike.

F Price Action: Ford shares are trading at $11.48 Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $10.37 to $15.42. Ford shares are up 1% year-to-date in 2023.

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