The Ford display is seen at the New York International Auto Show on April 16, 2025.
Danielle DeVries | CNBC
DETROIT — Ford Motor beat Wall Street’s first-quarter expectations, but suspended its 2025 financial guidance amid an expected $2.5 billion impact this year from President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The Detroit automaker said it expects to offset $1 billion of those costs through remediation actions as well as volume and pricing expectations for a total impact of $1.5 billion in 2025.
Ford cited “near-term risks, especially the potential for industrywide supply chain disruption impacting production” and the potential for future or increased tariffs in the U.S., among other potential impacts such as retaliatory tariffs, as reasons for pulling its guidance.
The tariff impact is notably less than the $4 billion to $5 billion that General Motors said it expected to incur as a result of Trump’s tariffs, as Ford imports fewer vehicles than its crosstown rival. GM, which last week lowered its 2025 guidance, said it expected to offset at least 30% of those expenses.
The automotive industry is grappling with 25% tariffs on imported vehicles that went into effect in early April, as well as 25% levies on auto parts that are not compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which took effect Saturday.
Ford stock
Without the tariffs, Ford said it was “tracking” toward its initial guidance that included adjusted earnings before interest and taxes, or EBIT, of $7 billion to $8.5 billion; adjusted free cash flow of $3.5 billion to $4.5 billion; and capital expenditures between $8 billion and $9 billion.
“Our results in the first quarter show that the Ford+ [turnaround] plan is working,” Ford Chief Financial Officer Sherry House told media during a call. “We are transforming this company into a higher growth, higher margin, more capital efficient and more durable business.”
The tariff impact is split between imported vehicles and automotive parts, House said. The company expects U.S. industry sales to be roughly 15.5 million, down 500,000 units compared with its initial expectations prior to tariffs.
Ford has not publicly announced any significant changes to its North American manufacturing plans, but it has taken some actions to mitigate tariff costs. They have included ceasing U.S. exports to China, adjusting China-made imports and other logistical changes.
The automaker said such adjustments lowered its first-quarter tariff impact of roughly $200 million by 35%.
Here’s how Ford did, based on average analysts’ estimates compiled by LSEG:
Earnings per share: 14 cents adjusted vs. 2 cents expectedAutomotive revenue: $37.42 billion vs. $36.21 billion expected
Ford said it will update investors on the status of its 2025 guidance when the automaker reports second-quarter results.
For the first quarter, Ford reported a 5% decline in total revenue compared with a year earlier to $40.7 billion, adjusted EBIT results of $1.02 billion and net income of $471 million. That compares to Ford’s first quarter of 2024 that included revenue of $42.8 billion, including $39.89 billion in automotive revenue, net income of $1.33 billion and adjusted EBIT of $2.76 billion.
Ford’s traditional “Blue” operations reported only a 3% decline in revenue but a nearly 90% plummet in EBIT results to $96 million during the first quarter. Its “Pro” commercial business reported a 16% decline in revenue to $15.2 billion and EBIT results of $1.31 billion, down from more than $3 billion from a year earlier.
Ford’s “Model e” electric vehicle business narrowed its losses from $1.33 billion a year ago to $849 million during the first quarter of this year.
The automaker said it continues to make inroads regarding its quality and previously announced cost reductions, including a $1 billion reduction this year. That excludes any impacts of tariffs.
