Ford lowers annual guidance, citing fire at supplier’s aluminum plant
[DETROIT] Ford Motor cut its profit guidance on Thursday, citing fallout from a fire at a critical aluminum supplier that will crimp production of some of its most lucrative vehicles through the end of the year.
A September fire at the Novelis factory in Oswego, New York that supplies material for F-150 trucks will cost the automaker about US$1.5 billion to US$2 billion before taxes and interest, Ford said, adding it expects to offset about US$1 billion of that next year.
Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement that he had been on site working with Novelis to source aluminum from parts of the plant that were still operational. “We have made substantial progress in a short time to minimise the impact in 2025 and recover production in 2026,” Farley said.
Ford released results after the stock market closed, and shares of the automaker increased about 4 per cent after the bell.
Novelis said on Thursday it planned to restart operations at the affected part of the plant by the end of December, an acceleration from its previous projection of resuming by the first quarter of 2026.
Ford posted revenue of US$50.5 billion for the third quarter, up 9 per cent from a year earlier. It reported earnings per share for the period of 45 cents, beating LSEG analysts’ expectation of 36 cents.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
The Detroit Three automaker cut its annual outlook for the second time this year, to earnings before interest and taxes of US$6.0 billion to US$6.5 billion, from US$6.5 billion to US$7.5 billion.
Ford previously lowered its guidance because of tariffs.
Relief is on the horizon for US automakers, after President Donald Trump approved an order to expand credits for US auto and engine production, allowing companies to receive a credit equal to 3.75 per cent of the suggested retail price for US assembled vehicles through 2030 to offset import tariffs on parts.
“I’d like to thank President Trump and his team,” Farley said on a call with analysts.
Ford said in July that Trump’s levies would cost up to US$3 billion this year, US$1 billion of which it planned to offset. On Thursday, executives said it now faces a US$1 billion net tariff impact because of the relief announced last week. Executives said they expected a similar net impact from the levies in 2026.
Ford chief financial officer Sherry House said it would have raised guidance had it not been for the Novelis fire. The automaker is purchasing aluminum from other Novelis facilities, executives said.
Novelis supplies other automakers, including Toyota and Stellantis, but Ford is a major consumer because its F-150 trucks use a mainly aluminum body. General Motors on Tuesday said it has been “minimally impacted” by the fire.
Ford said it expected to lose up to 100,000 units of production through the end of the year, and that it would increase production of its F-150 and SuperDuty trucks by 50,000 vehicles at plants in Michigan and Kentucky next year to recoup half of those losses. Production of the F-150 Lightning EV truck will be paused indefinitely to focus on more profitable petrol versions, the company said.
The auto industry faces several potential disruptions to global supply chains beyond fallout from the Novelis fire. China recently tightened controls over exports of battery materials used in electric vehicles, as well as rare earths, which are used extensively inside cars.
Separately, an intellectual-property dispute between the Netherlands and China over computer chips has auto-industry groups warning of potential factory disruptions.
Petrol-fuelled trucks power profits
Sales of petrol-fueled trucks and SUVs continue to power Detroit’s profits, as Ford and GM have both walked back their electric vehicle plans to focus on the traditional core products.
Automakers’ EV sales surged in the third quarter as shoppers rushed to take advantage of a US$7,500 tax credit that went away at the end of September. Analysts and automotive executives project that EV demand will drop off through the end of the year, but slowly regain ground in 2026.
GM’s stock surged 15 per cent on Tuesday after it reported third-quarter results that beat Wall Street’s expectations, including an upbeat outlook on 2026 and lowered impact from tariffs.
Tesla on Wednesday reported revenue that beat forecasts, but its profits missed expectations on tariff and research costs, sending its stock down about 4 per cent.
Ford‘s EV losses and quality problems have been its largest challenges for several quarters. Earlier this year, the automaker said it expected to lose up to US$5.5 billion on its EV and software business in 2025. It recorded a US$1.4 billion operating loss on this segment for the quarter. REUTERS
Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services
