If You'd Invested $1,000 in Ford 10 Years Ago, Here's How Much You'd Have Today
Key Points
Compared to this auto stock, the S&P 500 has produced a vastly superior total return in the past decade.
Investors whose primary goal is to beat the market might view the business in a less favorable light.
- 10 stocks we like better than Ford Motor Company ›
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) has had a terrific year. As of Oct. 9, the share price has increased by 17%. This gain has outperformed the S&P 500 index. Investors have started to view the business more positively. However, it's also important to pay attention to long-term trends.
If you bought $1,000 worth of this Detroit auto stock 10 years ago, how much would you have today?
Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
Ford shares are driving at a slow pace
Ford might be outpacing the broader market in 2025, but this is a new phenomenon. In the past decade, its shares have produced a total return of 35%. A $1,000 investment in Ford 10 years ago would be worth just $1,350 today.
Investors would've been much better off buying an S&P 500 index fund. The popular benchmark generated a total return of 300% during the same stretch.
Is Ford a smart long-term investment?
Ford has momentum on its side this year. And the stock is cheap, trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 9.
However, there are valid reasons this isn't a smart long-term investment, particularly for those who want to outperform the market and score huge returns. This is a low-growth, capital-intensive business that collects low profits. And demand for autos is highly cyclical. These aren't the ingredients for a winning stock.
Should you invest $1,000 in Ford Motor Company right now?
Before you buy stock in Ford Motor Company, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Ford Motor Company wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $657,979!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,122,746!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,060% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
See the 10 stocks »
*Stock Advisor returns as of October 7, 2025
Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Recommended Articles
