Of course, investors are put off by Ford's exposure to Europe's staggering auto economy, its losses in South America and its continuing costs to expand capacity in China. But it is difficult to ignore the automaker's high level of domestic sales success.
In April, Ford's biggest problem, in terms of domestic sales, was that it could not make enough Fusions. Rather, its Fusion inventory was at a bit less than a 40-day supply, compared to its overall inventory supply level of 66 days.
At the Hermosillo plant where Fusion is made, "we're doing everything we can to get out as many as we can," said Ford sales analyst Eric Merkle in an interview. "We would like more inventory, particularly as we get into the summer months."
Ford's solution is to expand Fusion production to its Flat Rock, Mich., plant in the fall.