1f_logo.pngPartially capitalizing on the misfortunes of its Detroit siblings, and once again on the popularity of its latest models – the Fusion, and the Flex, as well as the hybrid model range, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F, F message board) registered the smallest month-on-month U.S sales decline in June, as the automotive industry at large evidenced that seeds of recovery have begun to take root. All in all, carmakers sold 859,847 cars and light trucks, indicating a falloff of 7.1 percent from May and 28 percent from June, 2008.

  Industry analysts said traffic to the showrooms slowed down towards the end of the June as implementation of the government-funded ‘cash for clunkers’ program stayed hanging in the balance two weeks after its approval by the Congress. Besides, shipments to fleet owners remained limited due to the still constrained credit markets. 

  During the month of June, Ford proved why it is the only one of the Detroit threesome to have arrived this far without tapping federal bailout.
A recent survey established that for the period, the carmaker sold about 154,873 units, down 10.7 percent in May, in defiance of a 17 percent decline projected by Wall Street. This was the narrowest fall in monthly auto sales since September last year.

  This also added up to growth in Ford’s market share, claiming 17.2 percent to consolidate its second position ahead of Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM), while closing in on General Motors Corporation (OTC: GMGMQ) which retained its number one spot. As a result, the company resolved to intensify its third quarter production by 25,000 vehicles, 16 percent up from a year earlier.

  Even under bankruptcy protection, GM still nailed 20.2 percent of the overall U.S market share. Powered by its generous incentives, particularly on the Pontiac Vibe brand which will be cut off in August, the company reported a sales drop of 34 percent in June, reflecting its year-to-date highest of 176,571 units sold. Meanwhile, Chrysler which surfaced from the auspices of Chapter 11 following a merger with Italy’s Fiat, saw its June sales decline 42 percent to 68,297 units primarily attributable to a softened fleet market.

  Sales of the world’s largest automaker by volume, Toyota plunged 32 percent to 131,654 units in June, setting off a slide down in its U.S market share index to 15.3 percent. The company’s money-spinning Camry and Corolla sedans led the downfall with respective sales slumps of 37 percent and 53 percent. During the same period, the sales of rival Japanese carmakers descended as follows: Nissan Motor Co. (NASDAQ: NSANY) – 23 percent to 48, 298; Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) – 30 percent to 100, 420.

  In Thursday morning's trading, all of the major automakers stocks weakened on the news, with Ford’s share price hemmed in the narrow ranges of -0.50 percent to -0.70 percent on the previous closing of $5.91.

Reference:
 http://www.ford.com/?flash=false