How GM Plans to Take Advantage of Rare Ford Weakness

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Motors (NYSE: GM) are the fiercest of rivals and compete across the globe and across a long list of vehicle segments, the most important being full-size trucks. GM's combined sales of Silverado and Sierra have closely matched Ford's F-Series sales for decades.

Right now, there's a bit of weakness at Ford, and GM is planning to exploit that weakness by cranking up production of its trucks to gain market share.

Hauling big profits

Investors know that full-size trucks and SUVs bring in big profits for automakers, carrying both higher prices and better margins than passenger cars. Many full-size trucks are so loaded with technology and high price tags that they're considered luxury vehicles. That's why having ample inventory to meet demand, especially during strong spring and summer selling seasons, is crucial. Insufficient inventory means lost bottom-line dollars.

That's the scenario Ford finds itself in after recent factory fires set its recovery back. According to CatalystIQ, Ford F-150 supply is down by more than 40% since the Novelis aluminum plant fire. With Ford's inventory of profit-hauling trucks lower than usual, rival GM is looking to boost inventory of its trucks to steal highly valuable market share.

Image source: Ford Motor Company.

"It's prudent to be increasing right now just because their inventory is low relative to demand," said David Whiston, an auto analyst with Morningstar, according to Automotive News. "But if you're GM, you want to take advantage of Ford's weakness." Whiston also added that "GM should pick up a lot of share in Q2."

That said, GM has a bit of an inventory problem of its own, having ended the first quarter with 9% fewer pickup trucks on dealership lots in the U.S. than it did last year. That's even more dire than investors might realize because the prior-year number was already low due to a rush of consumers buying before tariffs increased prices. GM noted that its lower inventory was due to strong sales at the end of 2025 and to factory downtime as it prepares to launch its next-generation heavy-duty trucks.

What it all means

GM is now pressing to increase inventory of key full-size trucks and should be able to crank up production now that retooling for its heavy-duty trucks is complete. The automaker is also, due to uncertainty surrounding the war in Iran, rerouting trucks that were headed toward the Middle East.

All that said, GM's inventory push is coming as it prepares to produce the redesigned Silverado and Sierra pickups later this year, which will include more factory downtime and thus reduced output of the highly profitable trucks. Investors must keep an eye on both inventory and the launch of new trucks. A flawless launch of new trucks and maximized output will be critical for GM to gain valuable full-size truck market share throughout the remainder of 2026.

Daniel Miller has positions in Ford Motor Company and General Motors. The Motley Fool recommends General Motors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.