Automakers Report Mixed U.S. Sales For May

(RTTNews) - Automakers on Tuesday reported mixed U.S. vehicle sales results for the month of May, which included the Memorial Day weekend but had one less selling day compared to the same month last year. General Motors Co. (GM) and FCA US, LLC each reported higher vehicle sales for the month, while Ford Motor Co. (F) and Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) both reported declines.

GM, the largest U.S. automaker, said that its May U.S. sales rose 3% to 293,097 vehicles from 284,694 vehicles in the same month last year.

There were 26 selling days for May 2015, compared to 27 for the same month last year.

The Detroit, Michigan-based automaker said its total sales increase in May came despite a planned 7,000-unit decline in rental deliveries. This was also its best May sales since 2007 and its best month since August 2008, GM noted.

For May, GM's retail sales were up 7%, while commercial sales were up 5% from a year earlier.

Among GM's four brands, Chevrolet sales rose 1.4% to 207,970 units, while GMC sales surged 12.5% to 50,657 units and Buick sales grew 0.5% to 20,062 units. However, Cardillac sales fell 1.9% to 14,408 units.

"Chevrolet has the hot hand in the pickup market thanks to our three-truck strategy," said Kurt McNeil, General Motors' U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. "Our market share is growing and our strategy is to retain these customers with the best overall ownership experience."

GM estimates that the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate for light vehicles in May was 17.6 million units, above its full year outlook of 16.5 million to 17.0 million units.

Dearborn, Michigan-based Ford said it sold 250,813 vehicles in the U.S. in May, down 1.3% from 254,084 vehicles sold in the same month last year. For April, Ford had reported a 5.4% rise in U.S. vehicles sales.

For May, Ford's retail sales were down 2%, while fleet sales were flat with last year.

Ford's car sales for the month grew 0.9% year-over-year to 71,950 units and utility vehicle sales rose 0.5% to 77,806 units, but truck sales fell 5.1% to 83,252 units.

Sales of Ford's F-Series truck, America's best-selling truck for the 38 straight years and best-selling vehicle for 33 consecutive years, fell 9.7% to 61,879 units on tight supply, as the second F-150 facility - Kansas City Assembly Plant - ramps up to full line speed this quarter.

"We continue to see strong consumer demand for our newest products, including Edge, F-150, Mustang, Transit Vans and Lincoln MKC," said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "Our all-new F-150 is still turning on dealer lots in 26 days against tight supply, and F-150 average transaction prices set a record in May, as customers continued buying a rich mix of high-series pickups."

Ford also said Tuesday that it will shorten its summer shut-down at its assembly plants in North America amid urging demand. Six assembly plants, and supporting powertrain and stamping plants, will shut down for one week from June 29, instead of the traditional two-week shutdown.

The automaker said the shortened shut-down would enable it to produce an additional about 40,000 vehicles. This will be the third straight year that Ford has shortened its summer shutdown. Locations include Chicago, Dearborn Truck in Michigan, Kansas City, Oakville in Ontario, Canada and two locations in Louisville, Kentucky.

FCA US, LLC, which changed its name from Chrysler Group LLC in mid-December, said its U.S. vehicle sales for May rose 4% to 202,227 units from 194,421 units in May last year, marking the 62nd consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The company also recorded its best May sales since 2005.

Total car sales for the month rose 27% year-over-year to 50,762 units, while total truck sales declined 2% to 151,465 units.

Chrysler brand sales were up 32%, while Jeep brand sales were up 13%.

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., a unit of Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. (TM), said its May sales declined 0.3% to 242,579 vehicles from 243,236 vehicles in the same month last year. Toyota division sales fell 1.6% to 212,908 units, while Lexus division sales rose 10.2% to 29,671 units.

Among other automakers reporting U.S. sales Tuesday, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (NSANY.PK), said total U.S. sales for May edged down 0.8% to 134,779 units from 135,934 units in the same month last year. Total car sales for the month fell 10.9% to 77,338 units, while total truck sales rose 17.0% to 57,441 units. Nissan Division sales decreased 1.0% year-over-year to 124,305 units, while Infiniti division sales rose 0.9% to 10,474 units.

GM shares are currently trading at $36.32, up 14 cents, while Ford shares are currently trading at $15.30, down 6 cents.