Ford’s Quarterly Earnings Preview: What You Need to Know

Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford Motor Company (F) is a global automaker best known for its pickup trucks, SUVs, commercial vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles. Currently, the company is valued at a market capitalization of approximately $48.2 billion, 

Ford is gearing up to report its fiscal 2026 third-quarter earnings shortly. Wall Street expects the automaker to post earnings of $0.41 per share, representing an 8.9% year-over-year decline from $0.45 in the year-ago quarter. It has exceeded Wall Street's bottom-line estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing on another occasion. 

For fiscal 2026, analysts forecast the security device maker to report adjusted EPS of $1.86, up 70.6% from $1.09 in fiscal 2025. 

Ford shares have declined 1% over the past year, trailing the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 15% return. However, the F has outpaced the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY), which has plunged 8.1% during the same period.

Ford has lagged the broader S&P 500 over the past year as investors have remained concerned about tariff and supply-chain pressures, weak EV economics, and uneven vehicle volumes. Higher tariff-related costs, along with disruptions at its aluminum supplier, have pressured profitability, while Ford’s EV business continues to consume cash rather than contribute meaningfully to earnings.

The pressure has also extended to Ford’s core truck franchise. A recent supply issue temporarily halted F-150 production at two plants, disrupting output and weighing on third-quarter wholesale volumes. Although production has resumed, F-Series sales were already down 11% year over year through August, raising concerns about momentum in one of Ford’s most important profit drivers. 

The stock currently carries a consensus "Moderate Buy" rating. Of the 21 analysts covering the automaker, seven rate it "Strong Buy," one “Moderate Buy,” 12 recommend "Hold," and one maintains "Strong Sell." Moreover, the average price target of $15.45 suggests a modest 27.7% upside from current levels.