Ford (F) investors are likely to be an unhappy group. Not only is the stock underperforming the markets, but it's down over 10% YTD - even as the S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has risen to record highs, and crossed above 6,000 for the first time ever after Donald Trump’s election. What adds salt to the wound is that rival Detroit automaker General Motors (GM) has gained over 54% so far in 2024.
Towards the end of 2021, Ford’s market cap surpassed GM's, and in early 2022, Ford's market cap surpassed $100 billion for the first time. Cut to 2024, and Ford’s market cap is about $44 billion while GM commands a market cap of over $60 billion. Put simply, Ford’s woes seem to be more of a company-specific issue, rather than a reflection of the market’s long-held pessimism towards legacy automakers. In this article, we’ll discuss what’s been driving this divergence between Ford and GM, and whether things could change in 2025.
