Ford Motor (NYSE: F) has been experiencing shifts in institutional ownership, with M&T Bank Corp recently reducing its stake by 25.5% during the fourth quarter. According to the latest Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, M&T Bank sold 93,853 shares, bringing its total holdings to 274,705 shares valued at approximately $2.72 million by the end of the quarter.
Institutional Investors Adjust Positions
Several major institutional investors have been active in modifying their positions in Ford Motor. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings by 5.3%, acquiring 6,497,321 additional shares to reach a total of 129,106,379 shares, valued at $1.28 billion. Other notable movements include:
- Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. boosted its stake by 112.8% in Q3, adding 6,348,185 shares for a total of 11,976,950 shares valued at $126.48 million.
- Worldquant Millennium Advisors LLC initiated a new position in Ford worth around $55.46 million.
- Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec increased its holdings by 420.2% in Q3, acquiring an additional 4,881,105 shares to own 6,042,820 shares worth $63.81 million.
- Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake by 1.7%, now holding 81,989,157 shares valued at $863.01 million.
Currently, hedge funds and institutional investors collectively own approximately 58.74% of Ford Motor’s stock.
Ford Stock Performance and Key Metrics
Ford shares opened at $9.91 on Friday, with a 52-week range between $9.06 and $14.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.26 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 6.78, and a P/E/G ratio of 0.61. With a beta of 1.59, Ford’s stock remains susceptible to market fluctuations.
Key financial ratios include:
- Debt-to-equity ratio: 2.31
- Quick ratio: 1.02
- Current ratio: 1.16
The stock’s 50-day moving average stands at $9.72, while its 200-day moving average is $10.38.
Earnings & Dividend Updates
Ford Motor announced its latest earnings results on February 5th, reporting an EPS of $0.39, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $0.35. The company posted a net margin of 3.18% and a return on equity of 16.88%. Analysts anticipate an EPS of 1.47 for the fiscal year.
In dividend news, Ford declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share, paid on March 3rd to shareholders of record as of February 18th. The annualized dividend yield is currently 6.06%, with a payout ratio of 41.10%.
Analyst Ratings and Price Targets
Ford Motor has received mixed ratings from analysts:
- TD Cowen initiated coverage with a Hold rating and a $10.00 price target.
- JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered its target from $14.00 to $13.00, maintaining an Overweight rating.
- Barclays downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal Weight, reducing its price target from $13.00 to $11.00.
- Jefferies Financial Group issued an Underperform rating and slashed its target from $12.00 to $9.00.
- Bank of America adjusted its Buy rating, reducing the price target from $19.00 to $15.50.
Overall, Ford Motor holds a consensus Hold rating, with an average target price of $11.77, based on MarketBeat data.
Final Thoughts
With institutional investors reshuffling their stakes and mixed analyst sentiment, Ford Motor remains a stock to watch. While dividend yields provide income stability, fluctuating market conditions and changing investor confidence will play a crucial role in shaping its performance in the coming months. Investors should keep an eye on upcoming earnings reports and industry trends to gauge Ford’s trajectory in the competitive auto sector.
