Followers | 689 |
Posts | 143817 |
Boards Moderated | 35 |
Alias Born | 03/10/2004 |
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 7:37:39 PM
By: InvestorPlace | December 17, 2019
• Millennials now dominate consumer trends and Ford is listening
Back in the day, buying and holding Ford (NYSE:F) stock was something your grandparents and great-grandparents did for “slow and steady wins the race” kind of wealth accumulation. If anything, Ford shares represented traditional, old-school thinking. Perhaps a bit stodgy, but the rock-solid, dividend-enhanced gains were compelling.
That was then, and this is now. Generations Y (a.k.a. millennials) and Z (who are mostly teenagers and are starting to form their consumer and driving habits) are in the driver’s seat, and mega-corporations are bending over backwards to cater to their preferences.
This begs the question: can an old dog learn new tricks, and can Ford stock investors be confident that this century-old company is keeping up with the times?
Giving Young Investors a Reason to Buy F Stock
Since I’m immersed in the financial social media sphere during the majority of my waking hours, I think it’s fair to say that I’ve got my ear to the ground. I’m not picking up a whole lot of interest in F stock.
Millennial and Gen Z traders, at least at the moment, are mainly interested in ostensibly forward-thinking, envelope-pushing companies like Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Nio (NYSE:NIO).
Ford is, as far as I can tell, desperately trying to change that. I can’t blame the company, as the twenty-something consumer base is powerful and must be courted if Ford wants to retake auto-sector market share from Tesla and other upstarts. How, then, can an ancient firm known for giant, gas-guzzling vehicles lure a new wave of environmentally- mindful drivers?
It won’t be easy, but no one can claim that they’re not trying. For one thing, Ford’s got big plans in the red-hot self-driving vehicle space; with a catchy “No driver required” tagline, Ford’s autonomous-by-2021 initiative is ambitious and massively tech-enhanced:
The effort to build fully autonomous vehicles by 2021 is a main pillar of Ford Smart Mobility: our plan to be a leader in autonomy, connectivity, mobility, customer experience and analytics. The vehicle will operate without a steering wheel, gas pedal or brake pedal within geo-fenced areas as part of a ride sharing or ride hailing experience.
In just a couple of sentences, Ford managed to touch on a number of buzzwords and phrases that are rather blatantly millennial-focused: connectivity, mobility, ride sharing, and so on. Ford’s website and press releases offer similarly keyword-enriched copy on AI, 5G connectivity, and other Gen Y and Z touch points. No need to regurgitate all of that, but suffice it to say that Ford’s not afraid to go head-to-head with Elon Musk and company.
Building (or at Least, Rebuilding) Trust with Consumers
In the wake of this year’s protracted UAW strike, General Motors (NYSE:GM) has garnered a measure of negative publicity. Ford, simply by association, may have sustained some collateral reputational damage. Indeed, the Ford stock price sagged and careened throughout 2019’s second half, though the share price does look like it will end the year higher than where it began.
Perhaps in response to this, and undoubtedly in an effort to entice young drivers, Ford released a tract that would have stunned (and, most likely, appalled) Henry Ford. Entitled “Looking Further with Ford,” this half-report, half-advertisement strives to “build a bedrock of trust” with a call (and an implied promise to millennials) to “Inspire the ‘feel-good’ factor and tap into empathy,” “Invoke social pressure,” Make it legacy-oriented,” and “remove the sacrifice.”
With a quote from hot-button environmental activist Greta Thunberg, page 31 of the document talks about building empathy, promoting sustainable initiatives, reducing household waste, and engaging in “helping behavior.” I wouldn’t quite claim that Ford’s making a political statement here, but the company’s attempt to out-Elon Elon is certainly interesting — not bad, just interesting.
The Takeaway on F Stock
Okay, I’ll just say what’s on my mind: the “Looking Further with Ford” document strikes me as odd, out of character, and an unmistakable attempt at pandering.
I’m not suggesting offloading your F stock, and I’m glad that Ford’s trying to keep up with the times, but the company’s effort at Generation Y and Z outreach seems forced and largely unnecessary. Hopefully Ford will, at some point, get back to basics and remind consumers of what this company has represented for generations: awesome, powerful cars and American ingenuity.
Read Full Story »»»
DiscoverGold
Information posted to this board is not meant to suggest any specific action, but to point out the technical signs that can help our readers make their own specific decisions. Your Due Dilegence is a must!
• DiscoverGold
Recent F News
- October 7, 2024 Deadline: Contact The Gross Law Firm to Join Class Action Suit Against F • PR Newswire (US) • 09/23/2024 09:45:00 AM
- AIG names new CFO; Progyny Drops 24% After Losing Key 2025 Contract; Exicure Jumps 190% With Nasdaq Extension • IH Market News • 09/19/2024 10:26:48 AM
- Ford Motor Company Sued for Securities Law Violations - Investors Should Contact The Gross Law Firm for More Information - F • PR Newswire (US) • 09/19/2024 09:45:00 AM
- BMW, Ford and Honda Begin Operations of Vehicle-Grid Integration Joint Venture ChargeScape; Name Joseph Vellone CEO • PR Newswire (US) • 09/18/2024 12:30:00 PM
- Stingray Debuts Karaoke on Ford Vehicles: F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E • GlobeNewswire Inc. • 09/17/2024 12:00:00 PM
- The Gross Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Ford Motor Company(F) Shareholders • PR Newswire (US) • 09/16/2024 09:45:00 AM
- The Gross Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Ford Motor Company(F) Shareholders • PR Newswire (US) • 09/16/2024 09:45:00 AM
- Form 8-A12B/A - Registration of securities [Section 12(b)]: [Amend] • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/13/2024 08:34:00 PM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/13/2024 08:30:07 PM
- OpenAI Unveils Strawberry AI Model Series; Boeing Stock Falls 4% Amid Strike; HR Surges 20% on Growth Forecast • IH Market News • 09/13/2024 10:12:55 AM
- Universal Technical Institute and Ford Celebrate 25 Years of Ford's Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) Program • PR Newswire (US) • 09/12/2024 08:15:00 PM
- Form 8-K - Current report • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/12/2024 12:02:23 PM
- Ted Cannis to Retire After 35-Year Ford Career; Andrew Frick Named Interim Ford Pro Leader; Daniel Justo Appointed Head of FCSD • Business Wire • 09/12/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Class Action Filed Against Ford Motor Company (F) Seeking Recovery for Investors - Contact The Gross Law Firm • PR Newswire (US) • 09/12/2024 09:45:00 AM
- Ford Motor Company Sued for Securities Law Violations - Contact the DJS Law Group to Discuss Your Rights - F • PR Newswire (US) • 09/11/2024 12:30:00 PM
- U.S. Futures Drop Ahead of Inflation Data; Oil Rises on Hurricane Francine • IH Market News • 09/11/2024 10:29:19 AM
- GameStop plunges 11% on stock offering, DJT drops post-debate, GSK fails shingles vaccine trial • IH Market News • 09/11/2024 10:25:41 AM
- Southern California Edison and Ford Team Up to Reward Electric Vehicle Customers for Supporting the Grid • Business Wire • 09/10/2024 04:04:00 PM
- Ford Motor Company Class Action: The Gross Law Firm Reminds Ford Investors of the Pending Class Action Lawsuit with a Lead Plaintiff Deadline of October 7, 2024 - F • PR Newswire (US) • 09/09/2024 09:45:00 AM
- Broadcom Down 10% Post-Earnings, UiPath Up 8%; Qualcomm Eyes Intel Assets; Salesforce Acquires Own Company • IH Market News • 09/06/2024 11:59:00 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/05/2024 09:11:52 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/05/2024 09:11:42 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/05/2024 09:11:32 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/05/2024 09:11:22 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 09/05/2024 09:11:12 PM
North Bay Resources Commences Operations at Bishop Gold Mill, Inyo County, California; Engages Sabean Group Management Consulting • NBRI • Sep 25, 2024 9:15 AM
CEO David B. Dorwart Anticipates a Bright Future at Good Gaming Inc. Through His Most Recent Shareholder Update • GMER • Sep 25, 2024 8:30 AM
Cannabix Technologies and Omega Laboratories Inc. Advance Marijuana Breathalyzer Technology - Dr. Bruce Goldberger to Present at Society of Forensic Toxicologists Conference • BLOZF • Sep 24, 2024 8:50 AM
Integrated Ventures, Inc Announces Strategic Partnership For GLP-1 (Semaglutide) Procurement Through MedWell USA, LLC. • INTV • Sep 24, 2024 8:45 AM
Avant Technologies Accelerates Creation of AI-Powered Platform to Revolutionize Patient Care • AVAI • Sep 24, 2024 8:00 AM
VHAI - Vocodia Partners with Leading Political Super PACs to Revolutionize Fundraising Efforts • VHAI • Sep 19, 2024 11:48 AM