Sawt Falasteen - Ford raises 2023 profit outlook but sees bigger EV loss

Shares of the big US automaker pushed higher on results flattered by higher auto sales in its internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle business even as it signaled near-term losses in EVs would be bigger than previously thought.

Profits in the second quarter were $1.9 billion, nearly triple the year-ago level on revenues of $45 billion, 12 percent.

Chief Financial Officer John Lawler described the period as "a really strong quarter," saying the raised forecast reflected stronger than expected pricing through the first half of 2023.

But Ford also now sees operating losses in its EV business of $4.5 billion, up from the prior $3 billion.

The automaker slowed its timeframe for ramping up EV production, pushing back the timeframe to reach 600,000 per year in 2024 instead of this year.

EV adoption "is not going to be a straight line," Lawler said. "We have flexibility. We are going to optimize."

On July 17, Ford announced it was temporarily shutting its Rouge electric plant in Michigan as part of a plan to boost production of the F-150 Lightning pickup.

Ford also announced price cuts of as much as $10,000 on the vehicle, following several similar pricing actions at Tesla.

Ford's EV experience shows "we have to have very competitive products from a cost standpoint," said Lawler, who pointed to surveys that show 20-30 percent of consumers express interest in EVs but only seven percent end up buying.

Ford now expects 2023 earnings before interest and taxes -- a measure of profitability -- of between $11 and $12 billion, up from $9 to $11 billion.

Lawler said the company expects higher costs due to a new labor contract with the United Auto Workers, but did not release estimates.

Shares of Ford rose 0.8 percent to $13.84 in after-hours trading.

P.AbuBaker--SF-PST