Another Strong Month for Ford Motor Company (F)

Ford’s Escape SUV, introduced last spring, also did quite well with a 16% increase. The larger Explorer SUV – a big hit for Ford since its introduction in 2011 – posted a 46% year-over-year increase, for the model’s best January since 2006, the SUV heyday.

Small cars were also solid, with Fiesta sales up and the new C-Max Hybrid continuing to gain ground. Sales of the mainstay Focus compact were up 12%. That might seem small, but the comparison is to a very strong January 2012 result for the model – it’s a good incremental gain.

Pickups continue to shine, which bodes well for profits
Last but not least, Ford’s F-Series pickup line posted a 22% increase over year-ago totals, adding to very strong results in recent months. Shareholders should take note of this one: Ford’s full-size pickups are a big driver of the company’s overall profits.

Continued strength in this category as the competition ups its game will be key for Ford in 2013. GM’s all-new pickups are due at dealers this spring, Chrysler’s latest Ram is a very strong contender, and Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:TM) is aiming for a larger piece of this market with an all-new Tundra arriving soon.

The recent strength of the F-Series bodes well for Ford’s bottom line, but it will bear close watching as the year unfolds.

The article Another Strong Month for Ford originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by John Rosevear.

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