According to Jefferies, Ford Motor is likely to reap big profits up front. Analyst Philippe Houchois upgraded the stock to buy from hold in a note Tuesday. He also increased his price target to $16 from $13, implying a 32% gain from the previous close. The company said Ford’s recent investor event has raised confidence that the automaker has a solid plan and management that will help it close the gap with rivals. “In recent months, Ford has refined a strategy to leverage the strength of its team and fill the gap between franchised product quality and profitability that has lagged behind other companies,” Houchois said. industry and lack of consistency. “There’s something grounded and ‘back to basics’ in Ford’s strategy of focusing on strengths.” He added: “Ford has assembled a close-knit team that brings together senior and internal talent from outside the auto industry, including CEO Jim Farley’s open mind to business models. new business and inspiration from Tesla when possible.” Houchois thinks the company’s innovation roadmap across three divisions — Ford Blue, Model e and Ford Pro — is helping the company do more for less. He said that, if the attempt is successful, the stock could rise as much as 107% in a bullish scenario. The gap between Ford’s predicted 10% margin guidance in 2026 and the consensus forecast of 6% makes the stock attractive, the analyst added. Shares were up 2.8% during premarket trading on Tuesday. For the year, the stock is up about 4%. F YTD F mountain in 2023 —CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.