CHICAGO, Jan. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com Analyst Blog features: Toyota Motor Corp. , General Motors , Ford Motor Co. , Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motors .
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101027/ZIRLOGO)
Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=4579
Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog: Auto Sales Climb the Ladder
Light vehicle sales in the U.S. during December rose 12.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 12.55 million units, reflecting a continuous recovery in the industry. All the major automakers except Toyota Motor Corp. posted an increase in sales.
U.S. Automakers
Sales at General Motors scaled up 7.5% to 224,185 vehicles. The combined sales of GM's four brands - Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac - went up 15.5% to 223,932 vehicles during the month.
Sales at Ford Motor Co. , comprised of its namesake, Lincoln and Mercury brands, grew 6.7% to 190,976 units. The automaker's sales were strongly driven by new Ford F-150, Fusion and Edge. Meanwhile, sales at Chrysler (including its namesake, Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands) rose 16.4% to 100,702 units.
Japanese Automakers
Sales at Toyota slid 5.5% to 177,488 vehicles as a 13% fall in passenger car sales offset gains in SUV and light truck sales. However, sales at Honda Motor Co. surged 21% to 129,616 vehicles, driven by improvements across most of the major models. Meanwhile, sales at Nissan Motors soared 27.7% to 93,730 vehicles.
Other Automakers
Sales at Daimler AG, including Mercedes-Benz (cars, light trucks and Sprinter) and smart vehicles, inched up 5.5% to 22,039 units. However, Korean automaker Hyundai reported an impressive 33% gain in sales to 44,802 vehicles. Meanwhile, German automaker Volkswagen posted a 17% rise in sales to 23,867 vehicles.
The sales trend in December is indicative of the rebound in consumer confidence. The consumers are inclined to make big ticket purchases now given the resurgence in employment. For full year 2011, industry sales are projected to rise 11.2% to 12.9 million vehicles from 11.6 million in 2010.
Want more from Zacks Equity Research? Subscribe to the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5514.
About Zacks Equity Research
Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term.
Continuous coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons.
Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Subscribe to this free newsletter today: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5516
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 by Leonard Zacks. As a PhD in mathematics Len knew he could find patterns in stock market data that would lead to superior investment results. Amongst his many accomplishments was the formation of his proprietary stock picking system; the Zacks Rank, which continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment
Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros at http://at.zacks.com/?id=4580.
Visit http://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ZacksResearch
Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748? ref=ts
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
Contact: Mark Vickery Web Content Editor 312-265-9380 Visit: http://www.zacks.com/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Zacks Investment Research, Inc.
CONTACT: Mark Vickery, Web Content Editor of Zacks Investment Research,
Inc., +1-312-265-9380
Web Site: http://www.zacks.com/
