Ford Motor March U.S. Sales Down 3.4%

(RTTNews) - Automaker Ford Motor Co. (F) reported Wednesday that U.S. vehicle sales for the month of March decreased 3.4 percent from last year, with sales for passenger cars, and utilities declining year-over-year, while trucks sales grew.

Ford's March retail sales were up 1 percent, while fleet sales were down 13 percent, as it continues to prioritize retail sales to meet strong consumer demand. This was its best U.S. retail sales in nine years.

"Our retail performance was driven by gains across our utility van and truck lineups with strong consumer acceptance of the all-new F-150. We are especially pleased to post our best retail March sales performance in nine years, despite tight supply across our F-Series lineup," said Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service.

Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford, the second largest U.S. automaker, said it sold 235,929 vehicles in the U.S. in March, down 3.4 percent from 244,167 vehicles sold in the same month last year.

Earlier in the day, General Motors Co. (GM), the largest U.S. Automaker, also reported a 2,4 percent drop in U.S. vehicle sales for the month of March to 249,875 units from the prior year month.

Meanwhile, Auburn Hills, Michigan-based FCA US LLC, the third-largest U.S. automaker owned by Italy-based Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCAU), also reported a 2 percent increase in total U.S. sales for March to 197,261 units from last year.

Sales of Ford brand vehicles declined 3.4 percent to 227,234 units, and sales of Lincoln brand vehicles decreased 3.1 percent to 8,695 units from last year, with sales of the new Navigator surging 47.1 percent, more than offset by a 29.9 percent drop in MKZ car sales and a 42.9 percent decline in MKX utility vehicle.

Lincoln MKC continues to build momentum for the luxury brand with sales topping 2,000 vehicles in March.

Total passenger car sales, including Ford and Lincoln, declined 11.6 percent year-over-year to 76,765 units in March, and total utility vehicle sales, including Ford and Lincoln, decreased 2.1 percent to 69,494 units from last year. Meanwhile, total Ford truck sales improved 3.8 percent to 89,670 units from a year ago.

Ford passenger car sales decreased 10.6 percent year-over-year to 73,085 units in March, and Ford utility vehicle sales also declined 3.9 percent to 64,479 units from a year ago.

Ford brand sales were saved by a 36.1 percent surge in Ford Mustang car sales, a 17.0 percent sales growth for the Ford Explorer SUV, and a 3.9 percent sales improvement for the Ford Expedition SUV. Ford Police Interceptor SUV sales rose 44.9 percent, and Ford Transit Connect truck sales surged 44.9 percent from last year.

However, this was more than offset primarily by a 11.9 percent sales decline for the fuel-efficient Ford Fusion small car, a 14.5 percent drop in Ford Focus small car sales, and a 43.3 percent drop in Ford Taurus car sales. Ford Escape SUV sales also dropped 8.4 percent from last year.

The company also saw a 4.6 percent decrease in sales for the popular Ford F-Series pick-up trucks, which is America's best-selling truck for 38 years in a row and America's best-selling vehicle, car or truck, for 33 straight years. Ford E-Series truck sales also dipped 46.7 percent.

Further, sales of Ford Fiesta car dipped 24.9 percent, Ford Edge SUV sales declined 26.9 percent, and Ford Flex SUV sales decreased 26.0 percent from last year. C-MAX car sales declined 22.9 percent, while Police Interceptor Sedan sales increased 6.0 percent from a year ago.

For the three-month year-to-date period, Ford's U.S. vehicles sales grew 2.0 percent to 594,663 units from the same period last year, with Ford brand vehicle sales increasing 2.1 percent, while Lincoln brand vehicle sales edged down 0.6 percent.

In Wednesday's regular trading session, F is currently trading at $15.88, down $0.26 or 1.61% on a volume of 5.47 million shares.