Ford's first full year share gain in 14 years.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealers delivered 179,017 vehicles in December 2009, a 33% increase compared to one year ago.
Full-year sales totaled 1.62 million, down “only” 15% in a market off 21%, as Ford capitalized on the well-publicized bankruptcies of its severely wounded cross-town rivals, Chrysler Group, and General Motors Company.
As a result of its, relatively, good performance Ford posted its first full year market share gain in 14 years. Ford estimates its full-year 2009 U.S. total market share was about 15% – about one percentage point higher than in 2008.
While it is too soon to say that Ford is finally turned around after decades of decline, the Dearborn based company faces its best prospects in at least a decade and its stock at ~+$10 a share is trading at a recent high. Just over a decade ago, Ford had five of the top ten selling cars in the U.S. Now it has two, the F-series pickup truck and the Ford Focus compact.
In December, Ford cars were up 42%, crossovers were up 51%, sport utilities were up 33%, and trucks and vans were up 18%. Among brands, Ford sales were up 37%, Lincoln sales were up 16% and Mercury sales were up 6%.
Overall, the auto market itself was up 15%. So the primary Ford brand outperformed or swam, as Lincoln treaded water, as Mercury, glub, sank.
“Ford’s plan is working,” claimed Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service.
Well, yes for Ford. However, questions remain about the viability of Lincoln and Mercury, both regional brands in an increasingly tough global market.