LOUDON, Tenn., Aug. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Malibu Boats, Inc. (Nasdaq: MBUU) announced today that it will host an Investor Day on Thursday, September 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time at various locations near its headquarters in Loudon, Tennessee. Steve Menneto, Malibu’s Chief Executive Officer, Bruce Beckman, Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the senior leadership team will provide information about the company’s plan to drive growth and value creation. The program will comprise of pre ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a record revenue of $50 billion for Q2 2025, with an adjusted EBIT of $2.1 billion, reflecting year-over-year improvement in costs [8][32] - The full-year adjusted EBIT guidance was updated to a range of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion, net of tariffs [9][38] - Adjusted free cash flow was solid at $2.8 billion, with a strong balance sheet showing over $28 billion in cash and $46 billion in liquidity [36][37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ford Pro's revenue grew 11% to nearly $19 billion, with a 12.3% EBIT margin driven by a strong product lineup and disciplined pricing [33] - Model E revenue more than doubled to $2.4 billion, with margins improving nearly 44 points due to a favorable product mix [34] - Ford Blue earned nearly $700 million in the quarter, reflecting profitable market share gains and higher net pricing [35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the U.S., Ford's sales grew 7 times faster than the industry, with market share up 1.7 points sequentially [20] - The company sold more electrified vehicles than its two main domestic rivals combined, with EVs and hybrids making up close to 14% of the U.S. mix [21] - Outside the U.S., Ford gained market share in key regions such as Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East [23] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is shifting capital towards Ford Pro, reallocating resources from future EV programs to accelerate growth in high-margin services [10] - Ford aims to enhance its product lineup with a focus on trucks and iconic products, while also investing in low CO2 emissions technologies [14] - The company is committed to improving vehicle quality and reducing warranty costs, with a focus on achieving world-class vehicle quality [16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the impact of tariffs, estimating a net headwind of about $2 billion for the year, while expressing confidence in the company's cycle plan [13][39] - The management team emphasized the importance of capital efficiency and cost improvement, with a strong balance sheet providing flexibility to invest through economic downturns [38][40] - The company is optimistic about the future, with a focus on sustainable improvements in warranty and material costs [44] Other Important Information - The company announced a regular dividend of 15 cents per share, payable on September 2, reflecting its commitment to return capital to shareholders [38] - Ford's transformation journey is well underway, with a focus on building a higher growth, higher margin, and more capital-efficient business [32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Drivers of guidance change and improvement - Management noted that the guidance reflects strong improvement in the business, particularly in cost areas, despite absorbing larger tariffs [42][43] Question: Sustainability of market share - Management expressed confidence in sustaining market share gains into the second half of the year, supported by a strong product portfolio [61][62] Question: Balancing emissions policy and EV technology - Management highlighted the importance of transforming engineering and supply chain processes to remain competitive against global OEMs, particularly Chinese manufacturers [70][71] Question: Impact of tariffs and compliance credits - Management discussed ongoing negotiations with the administration to simplify tariffs and reduce liabilities, emphasizing the potential upside for the company [83][84] Question: Electrification initiatives and regional commitments - Management indicated a focus on partnerships for EVs and a streamlined product lineup to balance investments across different regions [99]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a record revenue of $50 billion for the second quarter, with adjusted EBIT of $2.1 billion, reflecting a year-over-year improvement in costs excluding tariffs [7][32] - The full-year adjusted EBIT guidance has been updated to a range of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion, net of tariffs [7][39] - Adjusted free cash flow was solid at $2.8 billion, with a strong balance sheet showing over $28 billion in cash and $46 billion in liquidity [36][37] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Ford Pro's revenue grew 11% to nearly $19 billion, with an EBIT margin of 12.3%, driven by a strong product lineup and high-margin services [33] - Model E revenue more than doubled to $2.4 billion, with a significant margin improvement of nearly 44 points [34] - Ford Blue earned nearly $700 million in the quarter, reflecting profitable market share gains and higher net pricing [35] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the U.S., Ford's sales grew 7 times faster than the industry, with market share up 1.7 points sequentially [19] - The company sold more electrified vehicles than its two main domestic rivals combined, with EVs and hybrids making up close to 14% of the U.S. mix [20] - Outside the U.S., Ford gained market share in key markets such as Canada, Europe, South America, and the Middle East [22] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is shifting capital towards Ford Pro, reallocating resources from future EV programs to accelerate growth in high-margin services [9] - Ford aims to enhance its product lineup with a focus on trucks and iconic products, while also investing in low CO2 emissions technologies [13][14] - The company is committed to improving vehicle quality, with expectations of declining warranty costs in the coming years [15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management acknowledged the impact of tariffs, estimating a net headwind of about $2 billion for the year, while expressing confidence in the company's cycle plan [12][39] - The management highlighted the importance of a durable national emission standard to ensure sound industry planning and reduce compliance costs [14] - The company is optimistic about its ability to navigate the changing regulatory environment and capitalize on opportunities in the EV market [66][70] Other Important Information - The company announced a regular dividend of 15 cents per share, payable on September 2, reflecting its commitment to return capital to shareholders [38] - Ford's industrial platform is focused on cost and quality improvements, targeting a net improvement of $1 billion this year, excluding tariffs [25][32] Q&A Session Summary Question: Drivers of guidance change and improvement - Management explained that the guidance reflects strong business improvement despite absorbing larger tariffs, with a focus on sustainable cost improvements [42][44] Question: Strategic spending on EV side - Management indicated a shift in EV spending and capital allocation, emphasizing flexibility in powertrain options and reallocating resources to Ford Pro [48][50] Question: Recall issues and warranty coverage - Management acknowledged improvements in warranty coverage but noted that FSAs have a longer arc, with early indicators showing lower costs for newer model years [56][58] Question: Market share sustainability - Management expressed confidence in sustaining market share gains into the second half of the year, despite expectations of a softer market [60][62] Question: Balancing emissions policy and EV competitiveness - Management highlighted the importance of changing emissions policies as a tailwind for the business, while also focusing on competitive EV strategies [66][70] Question: Tariff negotiations and outcomes - Management discussed ongoing productive conversations with the administration regarding tariff simplification and potential reductions [82][84]

Core Viewpoint - Ford is expected to report second-quarter 2025 earnings on July 30, with an EPS estimate of 34 cents and automotive revenues of $41.25 billion, reflecting a decline from the previous year [1][2]. Earnings Estimates - The EPS estimate has increased by 3 cents over the past week, but indicates a 27.6% decline compared to Q2 2024. Revenue estimates suggest an 8% decrease from the same quarter last year [2][3]. - For 2025, the consensus estimate for Ford's automotive revenues is $161.6 billion, representing a 6% year-over-year decline, while the full-year EPS is projected at $1.14, indicating a 38% contraction [3]. Sales Performance - Ford sold 612,095 vehicles in Q2 2025, a 14.2% increase year-over-year, driven by strong demand for trucks and hybrids. F-Series truck sales rose by 11.5% to 222,459 units, and the Maverick model achieved record sales of 48,041 units, up 26.3% [6]. - Sales of electrified vehicles increased by 6.6% to 82,886 units, although fully electric car sales dropped by 31%, while hybrid sales surged by 23.5% [7]. Financial Challenges - Ford is facing a $570 million recall charge in Q2, alongside pressures from EV losses and tariffs that may impact margins [6][8]. - The revenue estimates for key segments include $23.27 billion for Ford Blue (down 12.7% year-over-year), $1.38 billion for Ford Model e (up from $1.14 billion in Q2 2024), and $16.4 billion for Ford Pro (down 3.5% year-over-year) [9][10][11]. Market Position and Valuation - Year-to-date, Ford's shares have increased by 15%, outperforming both Tesla and General Motors, which have seen declines of 17.7% and 0.3%, respectively [12]. - Ford is trading at a forward price/sales ratio of 0.28, significantly lower than the industry average of 2.77, indicating a relatively cheap valuation [15]. Strategic Outlook - Ford's hybrid strategy is gaining traction as full EV adoption slows, with rising hybrid sales providing better fuel efficiency without the range anxiety associated with EVs [18]. - The Ford Pro division, focusing on commercial vehicles and services, is experiencing strong demand, particularly for Super Duty trucks, and is expected to be a key driver of future earnings growth [19]. - Financially, Ford ended Q1 2025 with $27 billion in cash and $45 billion in total liquidity, alongside an attractive dividend yield of around 5% [20].

Group 1 - Ford Motor is expected to report earnings of approximately $0.33 per share for Q2 2025, down from $0.47 per share in the same quarter last year, with revenues projected at $43.93 billion, reflecting a 2% decline year-over-year [2] - Vehicle deliveries in the U.S. for Q2 increased by 14.2% year-over-year to 612,095 units, driven by strong demand for pickups, particularly the F-Series, Ranger, and Maverick, which saw a collective sales surge of 15% [2] - The F-Series sales rose by 11.5% to 222,459 units, marking the best Q2 performance since 2019, with a higher proportion of pickup sales potentially enhancing Ford's profit margins [2] Group 2 - The new tariffs on automobiles and components may affect Ford's costs and profitability, although Ford is estimated to have 80% of its U.S. sales in 2024 from domestically assembled vehicles, potentially positioning it better than competitors like GM, which faced a $1.1 billion impact from tariffs [3] - Ford's current market capitalization stands at $44 billion, with revenue over the past twelve months reaching $183 billion, and operational profitability reflected in operating profits of $4.3 billion and net income of $5.0 billion [4] Group 3 - Historical data shows that Ford has had 20 earnings data points over the last five years, with a 50% occurrence of positive one-day post-earnings returns, which declines to 42% when considering the last three years [6] - The median of the 10 positive returns is 2.6%, while the median of the 10 negative returns is -8.0%, indicating a balanced risk-reward scenario for traders [6]

Core Insights - The upcoming Q2 2025 earnings reports for Ford and General Motors are highly anticipated by investors to assess which stock is better positioned [1] - General Motors is set to report earnings on the upcoming Tuesday, while Ford will follow on July 30 [1] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GM's Q2 earnings is $2.44 per share with revenues of $45.34 billion, having surpassed EPS estimates in the last four quarters with an average surprise of 10.16% [2] - Ford's consensus estimates are $0.30 for EPS and $41.5 billion for sales, with a less favorable earnings surprise history, beating estimates twice and missing once in the last four quarters [3] Earnings Surprise Potential - General Motors has a Zacks Rank of 3 and an Earnings ESP of -4.05%, while Ford has a Zacks Rank of 2 and an Earnings ESP of -36.59% [4] Vehicle Deliveries - Ford sold 612,095 vehicles in Q2 2025, a 14.2% increase year-over-year, driven by strong demand for trucks and hybrids [5] - General Motors sold 746,588 units, up 7.3% year-over-year, with significant growth across all brands, particularly Buick, which saw a 19.3% increase in Q2 [6] Electrification Efforts - General Motors has accelerated its electric vehicle sales, with EV sales up 111% to 46,280 units in Q2, driven by a diverse lineup [7][8] - Ford's EV sales, however, dropped 31% in Q2, but the company is focusing on hybrid strategies and operational scaling for long-term growth [9] Tariff Impact - Ford anticipates a $1.5 billion impact from tariffs, while General Motors expects a profit impact of $4-$5 billion due to tariffs on imports [10] Dividend Comparison - Ford offers a high dividend yield of over 5%, significantly higher than GM's 1.13% and the industry average of 0.3% [11] - Ford aims to distribute 40-50% of free cash flow going forward, indicating a commitment to shareholder returns [12] Earnings Outlook - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a year-over-year decline in EPS for GM and Ford of 12.3% and 40%, respectively, but Ford's 2026 EPS is projected to grow by 13.4% [13] - Recent estimate revisions suggest Ford is better positioned than GM, with Ford's 2025 EPS estimate remaining stable at $1.11 [14] Stock Performance & Valuation - Year-to-date, Ford's shares have risen 20%, while GM's stock price has remained flat [15] - GM's stock trades at 5.65X forward earnings, while Ford's is at 9.94X, both below the auto sector's average of 25.82X [18] Conclusion - Ford appears better positioned heading into Q2 earnings due to its hybrid momentum, shareholder-friendly policies, and solid stock performance, despite GM's strength in EV sales [19]

Core Insights - Ford Motor is facing significant scrutiny regarding vehicle quality and safety standards, leading the U.S. auto industry in safety recalls, with 88 recalls in the first half of 2025, over four times that of the next manufacturer [2] - The company reported a major recall involving 850,000 pickup trucks and SUVs due to potential fuel pump failures, which could lead to engine stalling [2] - Ford's stock has declined approximately 15% over the past 12 months, contrasting with an 11% gain in the S&P 500, indicating investor concerns about operational and reputational challenges [2] Recall Impact - The rising number of recalls is expected to incur substantial costs for Ford, including expenses for parts, labor, and logistics [3] - Ongoing safety concerns may undermine consumer trust and Ford's reputation for reliability, risking market share to competitors perceived as more reliable [3] - CEO Jim Farley acknowledged that Ford is lagging behind Chinese automakers in the electric vehicle market [3] Financial Performance - Warranty costs have increased by 22% to $6 billion in 2024, primarily due to recall-related repairs, putting pressure on margins and complicating profitability [4] - Ford anticipates a loss of between $5 billion and $5.4 billion in its electric vehicle segment this year [4] Quality Improvement Efforts - To address quality and cost challenges, Ford is enhancing internal testing and product validation, with a focus on identifying defects earlier in the development phase [5] - The company has indicated that it may take up to 18 months for these changes to result in reduced warranty claims and improved product reliability [5] Sales Performance - Ford reported a year-over-year sales increase of 14.2% in the U.S. during Q2 2025, reaching 612,095 units, driven by strong demand for pickups [6] - F-Series sales grew by 11.5% to 222,459 units, marking the best Q2 since 2019 [6] - The Maverick recorded a record quarter with 48,041 units sold, with nearly 60% of buyers being new to the Ford brand [7] Market Context - The EV market is experiencing a slowdown, with Tesla seeing a nearly 14% drop in deliveries during Q2, potentially providing Ford with more time to generate revenue from gas-powered vehicles [7]

Core Viewpoint - Meta is undergoing a significant strategic transformation to enhance its computational capabilities and compete with leading AI labs like OpenAI, focusing on building large-scale data centers and recruiting top talent [2][12]. Group 1: Infrastructure Development - Meta is launching two massive AI clusters named Prometheus and Hyperion, with Prometheus having a capacity of 1 GW and Hyperion expected to exceed 1.5 GW by the end of 2027, making it the largest single AI data center park globally [1][9]. - The company is adopting a "tent-style" data center design inspired by xAI, prioritizing construction speed and efficiency by using prefabricated power and cooling modules [4][6]. - Meta's strategy aims to transition from being "GPU-poor" to "GPU-rich," enabling it to match the training capabilities of top AI laboratories [6]. Group 2: Strategic Failures and Lessons - The aggressive transformation is partly a response to the failure of Meta's Llama 4 model, which damaged its reputation after the success of Llama 3 [8]. - Key technical failures of Llama 4 included architectural missteps, data quality issues, and challenges in scaling and evaluation, which Meta aims to address through its new initiatives [10][11]. Group 3: Talent Acquisition and Strategic Investments - Meta is focusing on recruiting top talent to bridge the gap with leading AI labs, offering compensation packages that can reach up to $200 million over four years for top researchers [12][13]. - Strategic acquisitions, such as the investment in Scale AI, are seen as crucial steps to enhance Meta's capabilities in data and evaluation, directly addressing the shortcomings revealed by Llama 4 [14][15].

Core Insights - Meta is undergoing an unprecedented strategic transformation to catch up in the foundational model race, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing a multi-billion dollar investment in large data centers, starting with the Prometheus center expected to be operational next year [1] - The company is adopting a new "tent-style" data center design for faster construction and is secretly building two "gigawatt" (GW) supercomputing clusters in Ohio and Louisiana, named Prometheus and Hyperion, respectively [1][2] - The aggressive shift is a response to the failure of Meta's Llama 4 model, which damaged its reputation after the success of Llama 3 [3] Infrastructure Development - Meta has abandoned its previous decade-long data center construction blueprint to prioritize rapid deployment of massive computing power [2] - The new "tent-style" structure utilizes prefabricated power and cooling modules, sacrificing some redundancy to expedite GPU cluster deployment [2] - The Prometheus cluster in Ohio aims to integrate various power sources and is building two 200-megawatt onsite natural gas power plants to address local grid limitations [3][4] Technical Challenges - The Llama 4 model faced technical issues, including a flawed "chunked attention" mechanism that impaired long-range reasoning capabilities [4] - The team struggled with data quality, transitioning from public datasets to an internal web crawler without adequate preparation, limiting its multimodal capabilities [4][5] - The Llama 4 team encountered difficulties in scaling research experiments and lacked strong leadership to unify the technical direction [5] Talent Acquisition and Strategic Investments - To bridge the talent gap with top AI labs, Meta is focusing on recruiting for a new "superintelligence" team, offering compensation packages up to $200 million over four years [6] - Strategic acquisitions, such as the investment in Scale AI, are aimed at addressing the shortcomings exposed by Llama 4, particularly in data and evaluation capabilities [6]

Core Insights - Ford is experiencing an alarming increase in recalls in 2025, with 81 recalls in the first five months, surpassing the total of 67 recalls in all of 2024, affecting over 4 million vehicles [1][9] - The recalls indicate significant quality control issues, with 80 requiring physical inspections or repairs, suggesting deeper design flaws [1][9] - The company faces substantial financial implications from these recalls, with over $5 billion in losses anticipated from its EV division and additional warranty and recall-related expenses [6][10] Recall Details - A recent recall involved over 200,000 vehicles due to rearview camera failures, affecting models like Explorer, Maverick, Mustang, F-150, and Transit Connect from 2018 to 2024 [2][9] - Other recalls include five units of the 2025 F-150 Lightning for brake fluid leaks and 130,000 Lincoln Aviator SUVs for potential detachment of parts while driving [3] - Ford's recall issues are significantly more severe compared to competitors like General Motors and Nissan, which have faced fewer and less impactful recalls [4][5] Financial Impact - Recalls are costly, impacting margins due to repair logistics, parts replacement, labor costs, and dealership reimbursements [6] - The ongoing quality perception issues could lead to a loss of market share and consumer trust, further straining Ford's financials [7][10] - Ford's stock has underperformed, losing around 10% over the past year, with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.29, indicating a lower valuation compared to the industry [13][14]