Stock price when the opinion was issued
Ford and GM have some of the lowest PEs around (7.3x and 4.3x) vs. the 22x S&P average. Ford pays a 6.2% dividend yield, while GM has a huge buyback plan. Incredibly cheap--until the tariffs started. Remember: the car-makers were a huge reason why Trump used tariffs in his first term which lead to the USMCA trade deal. But now Trump wants to take away the qualities that made US cars competitive and affordable. Today, the car-makers got a one-month reprieve from Trump's tariffs and shares jumped. But if the car-makers wind up paying these tariffs, are we okay with the U.S. replacing cheap Mexican labour with expensive U.S. union labour? That's why these stocks are so cheap--their earnings are in grave danger. Value traps. A 25% tariff on Mexican imports is a subsidy for foreign car companies like Kia.
It's all about tariffs. Despite tariffs, GM's chart shows there is an escape hatch in the tariff war and GM will come out of it well. Valuation is a very cheap 6.8x enterprise value to EBITDA. Is a cash flow machine, with 20% of market cap is in buyback share mode. They recently increased their dividend. Are well managed. Best of breed. GM has done a nice pivot into EVs, though EV consumer adoption has slowed down, but will come back.
(Analysts’ price target is $62.48)