GM and Ford climb on strong second-quarter sales ahead of expected tariff price hikes
The second quarter may have been filled with stock-shaking tariff announcements, but automakers have reaped the benefits of panic buying. Ford and GM released Q2 sales figures on Tuesday, and both Detroit companies are up on strong figures.
Ford said its sales rose more than 14% in the April to June period year over year, vastly outperforming industry-wide expectations. Electric vehicle and hybrid sales climbed by about 15%.
GM sales grew more than 7% from last year, including a more than 100% spike for its EVs.
South Korean rivals also reported strong sales, with Hyundai posting growth of 10% and Kia seeing 8%. Both automakers said it was their best first-half sales figures ever.
Across the industry, Q2 sales were boosted by tariff “panic buying” and inventory-clearing incentives. Several of those price freezes and discounts have since ended. Ford’s wildly successful employee pricing for all deals ends after the July 4 holiday.