Below is an overview of large-cap consumer discretionary companies with market capitalizations above $10B, highlighting those with the highest and lowest quant ratings. The comparison underscores which stocks strengthened their fundamentals and which ones lagged.

Top quant-rated stocks:

• General Motors (GM), Quant Rating: 4.83, Strong Buy.
• Ford Motor (F), Quant Rating: 4.81, Strong Buy.
• Amazon (AMZN), Quant Rating: 4.74, Strong Buy.
• Industria de Diseño Textil (IDEXY), Quant Rating: 4.69, Strong Buy.
• Bridgestone (BRDCY), Quant Rating: 4.57, Strong Buy.

Bottom quant-rated stocks:

• Flutter Entertainment (FLUT), Quant Rating: 1.20, Strong Sell.
• Sea Limited (SE), Quant Rating: 1.72, Sell.
• adidas (ADDYY), Quant Rating: 1.83, Sell.
• Accor (ACCYY), Quant Rating: 1.98, Sell.
• Genuine Parts Company (GPC), Quant Rating: 2.60, Hold.

The post Highest and lowest quant-rated consumer discretionary names above $10B market cap appeared first on Up2info.com.

Ford Pro AI, unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in early January, is part of the company’s efforts to increase revenue in its Pro commercial business — a crucial area of revenue growth for the Detroit automaker.

Thanks to a 30% increase in paid software subscriptions in the commercial division, “Pro continues to evolve its business by diversifying its revenue streams and building out its high-margin service infrastructure,” Ford CFO Sherry House said at the company’s last earnings call.

House went on to forecast Ford Pro EBIT of $6.5M to $7.5M in FY26 with a 10.3% profit margin by “growing its mix of profitable software and physical services globally.”

While there is currently no extra charge for Ford Pro AI to existing Ford Pro Telematics customers (at launch), it aims to increase new subscribers to Ford Pro Telematics, currently starting at $20 per VIN per month, excluding any necessary installation charges.

The post Ford launches Pro AI to aid fleet managers and boost commercial software revenue appeared first on Up2info.com.

The post Ford February vehicle sales down 5.5%, EV sales drop 71% appeared first on Up2info.com.

New-vehicle sales volume is expected to be down 3.4% year over year to 1.19M. Compared to January, new-vehicle sales volume is forecast to rise by 6.9% in February, with two fewer selling days, which is the typical seasonal trend. Full-size pickup volume was forecast to be down 1.1% during the month, which was the best pace of any segment.

“The new-vehicle sales pace shifted to a lower gear in Q4 of last year, and that weakness is expected to continue through this month as well,” stated Cox Senior Economist Charlie Chesbrough. “The loss of electric vehicle tax credits at the end of Q3 continues to impact sales. Also, the market is slowing due to ongoing concerns about the U.S. economy and high new-vehicle prices. These conditions are expected to be major headwinds for the new-vehicle market throughout 2026,” he added.

The firm thinks tax refunds being distributed across the nation could provide a minor, short-term boost to vehicle sales in the coming months.

Auto stocks: Toyota (TM), Tesla (TSLA), General Motors (GM), Honda (HMC), Ferrari (RACE), Ford (F), Hyundai (HYMTF), Nissan (NSANY), Mercedes-Benz (MBGAF), Volkswagen (VLKAF), BMW (BMWYY), Stellantis (STLA), Rivian Automotive (RIVN), and Subaru (FUJHY).

The post Auto sales are forecast by Cox Automotive to remain sluggish appeared first on Up2info.com.

The post Ford to recall ~413K SUVs over potential loss of steering control appeared first on Up2info.com.

Ford Motor (F) is overhauling its electric vehicle strategy after large losses, shifting away from big, expensive EVs toward smaller, more affordable models and a broader push into hybrids and energy storage. The goal is to bring to the market EVs with a

The post Ford plans to target the mass market with $30K EVs and low-cost electric truck appeared first on Up2info.com.

A sweeping reversal in U.S. climate policy under President Donald Trump has forced manufacturers to overhaul their EV product and investment plans. Companies that made the most aggressive pivot away from gasoline-powered vehicles have been hit hardest.

Stellantis (STLA), owner of Peugeot, Fiat, and Jeep, took the most dramatic action this month, recording a $26B charge to scrap fully electric models and revive its popular 5.7-liter “Hemi” V8 engine in the U.S. The company also announced plans to bring back diesel engines for several European models. The writeoff triggered a share selloff that slashed approximately $6B from its market value.

Ford (F) disclosed a $19.5B writedown after canceling its electric F-150 pickup truck, while Volkswagen (VWAGY), Volvo Cars (VOLAF), and Polestar (PSNY) have all suffered significant hits to their EV programs.

Honda (HMC), the only Japanese automaker to commit to ending gasoline and diesel vehicle production by 2040, forecast $4.5B in annual EV-related losses, including $1.9B in writedowns. General Motors (GM) has written down $7.6B on its EV operations.

Industry executives now expect EVs to account for just 5% of the U.S. new vehicle market—roughly half the current level—following the cancellation of EV credits and further rollback of emissions regulations.

Bernstein analyst Stephen Reitman told the FT that automakers failed to offer vehicles meeting consumers’ price and range expectations while charging infrastructure remained inadequate.

Despite the setbacks, GM chief executive Mary Barra maintained that electric vehicles remain the company’s “end game,” with other carmakers pledging continued long-term investments in the transition away from internal combustion engines.

The post Global automakers face $65B hit as EV excitement ebbs appeared first on Up2info.com.

It’s not easy being an American automaker nowadays, or for much of the past two decades. Besides increasing competition from China, massive legacy costs, chip shortages, and the Great Recession, carmakers have had to navigate ever-changing rules and regulations, particularly surrounding electric vehicles and emissions standards. Another wrench

The post Regulatory whiplash for automakers as EPA rescinds emissions standards appeared first on Up2info.com.

Ford Motor Co. (F) plans to make an affordability push with plans to launch five new models priced under $40,000 in the next four years.

During an investor conference on Wednesday, Ford (F) Chief Financial Officer Sherry House

The post Ford eyes offering more affordable models in the next few years appeared first on Up2info.com.

Management View

• James Farley, President and CEO, stated that “We managed through numerous challenges that came our way from multiple tariffs to supply chain disruptions and delivered good results in all areas within our control at Ford.” He highlighted $187 billion in revenue for the year and a U.S. market share increase to 13.2%, calling it “our best performance in 6 years.” Farley emphasized Ford’s shift in its EV business strategy to focus on high-volume, affordable vehicles, noting, “We dealt decisively with the reality of the market and shifted our focus of our EV business to a high-volume, affordable end of the market.”

• Farley pointed out, “We made big strides in cost and quality. And yes, that means we recalled many of our old vehicles to take care of our customers.”

• Farley described the Ford Pro business as a key differentiator, saying, “Our competitors cannot match. Global demand for Super Duty and Transit franchise is extremely healthy. In the U.S., Ford Pro’s Class 1 through 7 market share is over 42%.” He also noted that software and physical services grew 10% and now contribute 19% of Ford Pro’s EBIT.

• Sherry House, Chief Financial Officer, reported, “Revenue grew for the fifth consecutive year as we continue to expand our share of revenue, including nontraditional segments like hybrid trucks, while accelerating the growth of our higher margin paid software subscriptions.” House announced free cash flow of $3.5 billion, cash of nearly $29 billion, and liquidity approaching $50 billion. She added, “Ford Pro once again demonstrated its importance and persistence as a key profit pillar for Ford by delivering more than $66 billion of revenue and EBIT of $6.8 billion with a double-digit margin.”

Outlook

• House provided a 2026 outlook, stating, “For the full year, we expect company adjusted EBIT of $8 billion to $10 billion, adjusted free cash flow of $5 billion to $6 billion and capital expenditures of $9.5 billion to $10.5 billion.” She indicated the company anticipates “another robust year at Ford Pro with EBIT of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion” and expects “losses of $4 billion to $4.5 billion for Ford Model e.”

• The outlook includes “further material and warranty cost reductions, building off our momentum in 2025” and “another $1 billion of industrial cost improvements.”

• House commented, “We expect lower tariff costs of about $1 billion, reflecting a full year’s worth of credit expansion.”

• The management stated plans to invest about $1.5 billion in Ford Energy and highlighted that “we expect to record about $7 billion in charges related to our updated EV strategy and the expected disposition of our BOSK investment.”

Financial Results

• Farley reported, “We generated $6.8 billion of adjusted EBIT for the full year. This includes $2 billion headwind from Novelis fires and the net tariff impact of $2 billion.”

• Ford Pro delivered more than $66 billion of revenue and EBIT of $6.8 billion with a double-digit margin. Model e delivered revenue and volume growth of 73% and 69%, respectively. EBIT losses for Model e improved to ($4.8 billion), reflecting fewer losses on Gen 1 products.

• House stated, “We generated $3.5 billion of free cash flow and ended the year with close to $29 billion in cash and nearly $50 billion in liquidity.”

Q&A

• Dan Levy, Barclays: Asked about the market factors driving the 2026 outlook and the tariff assumptions. House answered, “That assumes $2.5 billion to $3 billion, reflecting the nonrecurrence of 2025 losses and capacity actions at Dearborn and Kentucky truck plants… offset by $1.5 billion to $2 billion of temporary costs, and that’s to ensure supply continuity.”

• Joseph Spak, UBS: Sought clarification on Novelis impact and market share dynamics. House clarified, “We have nonrecurrence of the $2 billion from last year, right? So that would start to 2026 better.”

• Emmanuel Rosner, Wolfe Research: Inquired about CapEx increase and Model e profitability. House explained, “Guidance reflects an increase in capital spending of a little more than $1 billion… driven by our investment in Ford Energy… roughly 75% of our capital over the plan period is going into our higher return, larger truck and multi-energy portfolio.”

• Ryan Brinkman, JPMorgan: Asked about regulatory changes impacting tariffs and EBIT. Steven Croley, Chief Policy Officer, said, “A credit that we have against our tariff liabilities on parts became effective on November 1… that delta is about the $1.9 billion that Sherry referenced.”

• Andrew Percoco, Morgan Stanley: Asked about Ford Energy’s market positioning. Farley stated, “We have been deeply engaged with customers as we develop this business plan, and we continue to engage them in specific contracts for our 20 gigawatt hour capacity in ’27 and beyond.”

Sentiment Analysis

• Analysts’ tone was generally neutral to slightly positive, with repeated questions on Novelis costs, cost savings, and capital allocation, indicating a focus on execution and risk factors.

• Management’s tone was confident and proactive during prepared remarks, emphasizing cost discipline, product mix, and new strategic investments. Farley stated, “We are confident… our Ford+ strategy distinguishes us from the competition in clear ways.” In Q&A, responses were detailed and direct but occasionally cautious when discussing temporary headwinds and cost uncertainties.

• Compared to the previous quarter, analysts’ tone remained focused on risk mitigation and execution, while management’s confidence level was higher, underpinned by stronger guidance and progress on cost initiatives.

Quarter-over-Quarter Comparison

• Guidance for 2026 is more specific, with a range of $8 billion to $10 billion adjusted EBIT, compared to the previous quarter’s more general outlook.

• Strategic focus has shifted further toward affordable EVs, capital efficiency, and expanded investment in Ford Energy.

• Analysts’ questions in both quarters concentrated on costs, Novelis recovery, and capital allocation, but the current quarter saw more focus on execution of new investments and the sustainability of cost improvements.

• Management’s tone improved, highlighting tangible progress and a stronger foundation for future earnings growth.

Risks and Concerns

• Management cited temporary costs and supply continuity related to the Novelis fires as ongoing headwinds, with House stating, “That’s to ensure supply continuity. There will be tariffs and premium freight associated with that supply continuity of aluminum.”

• Analysts flagged competitive pressures in North American trucks and European LCVs, as well as the need for disciplined execution amid higher CapEx and strategic shifts.

• The company outlined contingency plans for aluminum supply and emphasized cost control and capital allocation as key mitigation strategies.

Final Takeaway

Ford closed 2025 with significant progress in cost discipline, quality, and market execution, establishing a foundation for higher earnings. The company’s 2026 guidance projects $8 billion to $10 billion in adjusted EBIT, driven by further cost reductions, product mix improvements, and robust performance in Ford Pro and Blue segments. Strategic investments in affordable EVs and Ford Energy are expected to support long-term growth, while management continues to navigate temporary supply chain and tariff headwinds with a focus on capital efficiency and shareholder returns.

Read the full Earnings Call Transcript

The post Ford expects $8B–$10B adjusted EBIT for 2026 as cost reductions and product mix drive outlook appeared first on Up2info.com.