Huge company, slim margins
Few industries are as competitive as making and selling cars — and Ford's financials are a prime example of this. Despite being a giant, Ford ekes out a slender profit margin. Since 2012 Ford's average net profit margin has averaged just 2.7%. With revenues regularly north of $150bn, that still translates into a sizeable profit of $4bn a year (on average) — but it doesn't leave much room for error if sales fall, costs rise, or both.
