Ford Motor Company (NYSE: NYSE:F) reported a significant profit miss for the second quarter, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.47, falling short of the analyst estimate of $0.68.
The company's revenue for the quarter reached $47.8 billion, narrowly missing the consensus estimate of $48.09 billion.
Q2 EBIT came in at $2.8 billion, also below the consensus projection of $3.8 billion.
Following the earnings release, Ford's stock plummeted more than 13%.
However, analysts at Piper Sandler believe the stock price decline was mainly driven by "unwelcome warranty headwinds," rather than the profit shortfall. They highlighted that the automaker referenced quality problems on vehicles from the 2016 and 2021 model years, "and to address these concerns, the company is shouldering a higher-than-expected warranty burden."
"As a result, EBIT was flat vs. Q1, despite a 12% q/q increase in revenue," they added.
Ford's CEO, Jim Farley, emphasized the positive aspects of the quarter, citing the success of Ford Pro, which posted a quarterly EBIT of $2.6 billion, a 15% margin, on a 9% revenue gain.
He also noted the 34% increase in hybrid sales, now accounting for nearly 9% of Ford's global vehicle mix, and a reduction in costs for the Ford Model e by approximately $400 million.
Looking ahead, Ford maintains its full-year 2024 adjusted EBIT guidance at $10 billion to $12 billion. Additionally, the company has increased its adjusted free cash flow (FCF) outlook by $1 billion, now expecting it to be between $7.5 billion and $8.5 billion.
This adjustment reflects Ford's confidence in its cash-generating capabilities and the ongoing execution of its Ford+ plan, which aims to lay the groundwork for profitable, long-term growth.
In his statement, Farley stressed the strategic progress being made under the Ford+ plan, pointing to improved underlying quality and the potential upside across all business segments. "Ford+ is on track, our underlying quality is improving, and Ford Pro is showing the huge upside we’ve got in all our businesses," Farley said.
"Transparency and accountability from having separate teams focused on the needs of different customers are leading to better decisions and greater value for everyone."