Ford Sure doesn't make them like they used to.
Posted on 06/28/2006 11:23:14 AM PDT by george76
Ford Motor Co. shares took a hit Wednesday, pressured as Standard & Poor's pushed the automaker's credit rating deeper into junk status...
At last check, shares of the second-biggest U.S. car manufacturer were down 13 cents, or 2%, at $6.41 -- just 3 cents above their lowest level in nearly 13 years.
The ratings agency downgraded $151 billion in Ford debt by one notch, to a B+ rating, and thus put the rating four levels into speculative-grade territory, with a negative outlook.
"Notwithstanding its multiyear plan to turn around the performance of its North American automotive operations, " S&P said, "we expect the company's financial profile to weaken further during 2006 -- a period when the U.S. economy and U.S. light-vehicle sales are robust."
In January, Ford detailed its "Way Forward" restructuring plan, a centerpiece of which is the planned closure of 14 plants by 2012 and the cutting of as many as 30,000 jobs, as the automaker aims at improving its product lineup and slashing costs.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
That is for sure.
"Ford forgot its base for a political agenda..."
"As long as FORD embraces the gay agenda I'll buy elsewhere thanks and FORD can go to hell."
Ford is hot for homos and hates families. The homo leftests have taken over the company and regard anything that resembles morality and values as a threat to their stranglehold on power (and therefore in the process is destroying the company). As long as Ford wants to shove their leftest family hating values down our throat I will continue to boycott - time for Ford to go the way of the horse drawn buggy.
Those boys do some great work! Thanks for the link
I own two new Fords so this is more than a passing interest for me. The problem is that they let their passenger cars go on being ignored and they thought they could ride the truck and SUV boom into the future with impunity. They were wrong. The thing that would keep them from going bankrupt is that the Ford family can't permit it. They would lose control of the company so it won't happen. What I can't understand is why GM has come back up. I understand their sales for June are off 30% and they are up to their eyeballs in debt. Chrysler doesn't have any debt. And they were the ones that had to get a government bailout. It was said at the time this was going to boomerrang on Ford and GM and so it appears to have happened.
I don't have the answer except that they need a hard nosed no nonsense manager come in and do what is required to save the company. It can be done as was shown with Nissan. But Ford has been pouring money down ratholes like Jaguar that have never shown a profit. Craziness.
I just bought Ford bonds with a 9.5 coupon and yielding almost 13%
The only way Ford goes under is if American Motors Corporation is resurrected. Whis is to say America and Congress and the Sherman Anti Trust Act will not permit one American auto company and it's monopoly
"but pretending like Ford does this and Toyota doesn't is complete bull."
possibly. but Ford has been visibly vocal about it.
what they do behind the scenes is one thing. running full page ads offering discounts in gay magazines is another.
Enjoy your horse drawn buggy, because you can't buy a car made by a company who does anything different than Ford. They're all guilty.
Very astute analysis - fortunately, the Fusion is a high quality competitor for the midsize sedan market. And if the 500 gets the new 3.5L in the next year, they'll have been able to rid it of its primary criticism - lack of power (though honestly 0-60 in 7.8-8.0 isn't that bad)....
They've put Mark Fields in charge of the turn around. Just look at Mazda to see what he's capable of. Mazda and Nissan were both in trouble about the same time. Carlos Ghosn turned Nissan around, but they're seriously slipping again. Mark Fields turned Mazda around, and Mazda is still experiencing large sales gains....
Ford's sales are expected to be down 4% for June (they didn't match the GM sales until later in the year), but if anything follows the past few months, look for about a 6-7% drop in truck sales and an 8-10% increase in car sales....
"possibly. but Ford has been visibly vocal about it.
what they do behind the scenes is one thing. running full page ads offering discounts in gay magazines is another."
Actually, the others are running full page ads as well. Its AFA that is being vocal about Ford. They're just choosing not to mention the others. Its a smart tactic to take on the companies one at a time, but unbelievably disingenuous at best when you imply the others are clean, or even cleaner...
Did you email them?
I did !
"Actually, the others are running full page ads as well"
do you have any links to them? I'd like to spread the word.
Ford is offering zero interest on five year car loans.
Nothing down...
Nice spread !
I agree about the power on the 500. Have driven it several times. My biggest complaint is that the leg room is cramped with my height at 6'6". My Escape has more leg room. My F-150 is a joy to drive although it is not very economical but no big pickup is. But otherwise I would rather drive it on a long trip than just about anything.
What I think Ford should do is to take the latest Toyota Camry and clone it; put a Ford badge on the front and price it where it is a better value. If they cannot do this, how can they ever compete against Toyota?
The Crown Vic is now 15 years old. Give me a break! The Ranger is horribly outdated and totally uncompetitive with the Toyota Tacoma. In the end it comes down to product and I hate to say it, it just isn't there. They rode the SUV market until it collapsed and with it their own collapse.
Well, considering that I don't browse gay magazines, I have to go on what I can find online - the only ones I have found are the ones that AFA republishes... However, that doesn't mean that Ford is the only culprit - a little investigation and it appears BMW got in hot water for targeting gays in the same sorts of mags but not providing "partner" benefits (they screamed hypocrisy). Turns out others have all had the same problems. Mitsubishi started advertising in 1996... GM has been as well..
I'd rather not see the images - but I do want to know if there is anyone behaving... if not, I'm not going to act like one company is worse than the others.... They're all bad...
Well, the Fusion is essentially a stretched and lengthened Mazda6 with different trim... And it comes in at thousands under a Camry (they're selling around here for around $16,500 when a comparably equipped Camry is $19,500) - how's that for a start? :)
The Crown Vic is ancient. Its also pretty much the only car in the large RWD non-luxury market, though.... I've seen those advertised at under $18k new here... and they're a cash cow for Ford still.... it would be nice to see updates, but lets face it - competition is what drives development.
Personally I think the Ranger is by far the biggest embarrassment in their entire lineup right now. They rode the SUV and truck craze, and with gas cheap, compact pickups faded in popularity to the full-size trucks. They were completely unprepared for the market shift which would arguably push many buyers from full-size to more efficient compact pickups. They're darned reliable, but as you pointed out, terribly outdated. Hopefully with the closure of the St. Paul plant, there will be a new compact pickup produced elsewhere....
Come on man, how can you be so cruel to the fags of the world? All the perverts want is more rights then you or I.
Yes, I told them as long as they pander to fags and try to sell a vehicle using that damn cuban samba music I'll go buy a yugo before I buy a ford.
Pow!
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