Something askew between Ford stock price and its performance?
The Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company declared a fourth quarter dividend of $0.15 per share on the company’s outstanding Ford family controlled Class B and common stock. The Q4 dividend is the same level of regular dividends paid in the first, second and third quarters of 2016. The Q4 dividend is payable on Dec. 1, 2016 to shareholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 27, 2016. This is a 5% return annually.
Ford set record earnings during 2015 but its stock – trading in a 52-week range of $11.02 – $15.84 – continues to languish as investors remain wary of the company. Its recent performance is lagging with total U.S. September sales of 204,447 vehicles down 8% from a year ago. Ford just announced the closing of its Mustang factory in Michigan for a week after U.S. sales plunged 32% in September – while it was crowing about 21,000 y-t-d sales in Europe. Attacks from non-taxpaying Donald Trump, aka serial sexual assaulter of females, probably hasn’t been helpful. (AutoInformed on U.S. Sales)
Ford Motor during Q2 of 2016 – the latest available financial results – had net income of $2 billion, down $190 million from a year ago. Total company adjusted pre-tax profit was $3. Billion, down $293 million. Earnings per share at $0.49 were down $0.05 from a year ago; adjusted earnings per share at $0.52 were down $0.02. Automotive segment pre-tax profit of $2.8 billion, was down$130 million; regions outside North America collectively also were profitable for third consecutive quarter. Automotive segment operating margin was 7.7 %.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
