So we know that legacy automaker Ford’s (F) truck production plans have been less than effective in recent days, thanks to a fire at one of its biggest aluminum suppliers. And we also know that Ford will likely not get that supplier back this year. But Ford is already planning to make up for lost time in 2026, with a huge surge planned in truck building. The news did not sit well with investors, though, who sent shares plunging over 4% in Monday afternoon’s trading.
Elevate Your Investing Strategy:
- Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
Ford is planning a huge surge in truck production in 2026, planning to increase production by 50,000 across F-150 and F-series models, reports note. To that end, Ford is looking to add jobs to help get more trucks in play, with 900 new jobs coming to its Michigan operations and another 100 in Louisville at the Kentucky Truck Plant.
Interestingly, this comes not long after Ford revealed plans to buy $41 million worth of land near the Kentucky Truck Plant. Many wondered what that land purchase was about, but now it seems clear: Ford wants to put on a lot of new capacity to make up for the Novelis-induced shortfall that production will see this year.
F-150 Diplomacy
Ford will be needing those F-150s, especially as it finds itself about to fill an order to Japan. Apparently, reports note, Japan may be about to pick up several of the pickups, as President Trump once again goes off to land some better trade deals with the rest of the world, and this time, Japan is front and center.
Normally, these purchases turn to Boeing (BA) aircraft as a way to narrow the gap quickly, but this time, Japan seems interested in F-150 pickups. Apparently, American cars have had a rough time selling in Japan; reports that Japanese regulators are chucking bowling balls at American cars to keep them from selling in Japan are exaggerated, however. And given the narrow streets Japan is known for, the F-150 may have a tough time getting around if the deals go through.
Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on two Buys, 10 Holds and two Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 21.72% rally in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $12.06 per share implies 9.26% downside risk.
