Ford and Stellantis Make Brilliant Moves to Gain Market Share. Is It Too Little, Too Late?
The automotive industry has had an allergic reaction to producing smaller, more affordable vehicles over the past decade, but with pent-up demand for them, the time might be perfect to strike.
Overview
Maybe you've already heard, but the U.S. new-vehicle market is heading toward a crisis, as new-vehicle prices continue to rise and now sit around $50,000. Total automotive debt has reached an all-time high of $1.68 trillion, and almost 25% of buyers are taking loan terms of 84 months or longer. Nearly 30% of trade-in vehicles carry negative equity, which is often rolled into new high-interest vehicle loans, sending average monthly payments soaring.
That has left the more affordable price range drastically underserved amid pent-up demand, which is why Ford Motor Company's (NYSE: F) and Stellantis' (NYSE: STLA) strategic moves to address this affordability crisis are brilliant.
Details
While it will remain hugely important for Ford and Stellantis to continue producing high-margin SUVs and trucks, more affordable models could quickly gain traction and become high-volume sellers. Both Ford and Stellantis could use a jolt to their market share, and additional volume will only improve factory utilization, which supports margins more broadly, even if these vehicle sales are less lucrative.
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.