Ford Motor Co. reported a strong profit for 2021 and issued an upbeat forecast for this year, the latest sign that the auto industry could return to a degree of stability after two years of pandemic-related disruptions.
Still, the auto maker’s shares were down nearly 4% in Thursday aftermarket trading, following fourth-quarter earnings that fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Ford Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said analysts likely expected higher output for the quarter, but the company was constrained by the computer-chip shortage and other challenges linked to the Covid-19 crisis.