Ford Motor Company reported second quarter 2010 net income of $2.6 billion, or 61 cents per share, a $338 million improvement from second quarter 2009, as each of its major business operations around the world recorded improved profits.
Excluding special items, Ford reported a pre-tax operating profit of $2.9 billion, or 68 cents per share, an improvement of $3.5 billion from a year ago and a $932 million improvement from the prior quarter, and the company’s best quarterly performance since the first quarter of 2004. Ford has posted an Automotive and total company pre-tax operating profit for four consecutive quarters.
Ford North America posted a second quarter pre-tax operating profit of $1.9 billion, a $2.8 billion improvement from second quarter 2009.
“We delivered a very strong second quarter and first half of 2010 and are ahead of where we thought we would be despite the still-challenging business conditions,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally. “We remain on track to deliver solid profits and positive Automotive operating-related cash flow for 2010, and we expect even better financial results in 2011.
“Our progress is being led by the strength of our new products and our leaner, global structure,” Mulally added. “Customers are responding to our strongest ever product lineup – a full family of vehicles with world-class quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.”
Ford’s second quarter revenue was $31.3 billion, up $4.5 billion from the same period a year ago. Excluding Volvo revenue from 2009, Ford’s revenue in the second quarter was up $7.4 billion compared to 2009, or over 30 percent.
Automotive operating-related cash flow was positive $2.6 billion during the second quarter, primarily reflecting pre-tax operating profits and favorable changes in working capital.
Ford finished the second quarter with $21.9 billion in Automotive gross cash, a decrease of $3.4 billion since the first quarter, as a result of substantial debt reduction actions. Including available credit lines, total Automotive liquidity was $25.4 billion at the end of the quarter.
The company ended the second quarter with Automotive debt of $27.3 billion, down $7 billion in the quarter. The reduction included a $3.8 billion payment by Ford to the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, and a $3 billion repayment of Ford’s revolving credit facility. The debt reduction will save Ford more than $470 million in annualized interest savings.
Special items were an unfavorable pre-tax amount of $95 million in the second quarter. Ford recorded $229 million of personnel and dealer-related charges related primarily to the plan to discontinue production of the Mercury brand, which was offset partially by $94 million of favorable held-for-sale adjustments for Volvo and a $40 million gain related to the full pre-payment of Ford’s VEBA Note A debt obligation at a discount.
The first half cost associated with Mercury discontinuation and total U.S. dealer reductions is expected to be somewhat less than half of the total expected special item charges for these actions during the 2010 to 2011 period.
If Volvo had continued to be reported as an ongoing operation, Ford would have reported a second quarter pre-tax operating profit of $53 million for Volvo, representing a $290 million improvement compared to the second quarter of 2009.
“Our fundamental business is strong and we continue to gain momentum around the world,” said Lewis Booth, Ford executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Profits improved across our global business operations in the second quarter and we made continued progress in paying down our debt and strengthening our balance sheet.”
