Thursday, Dec. 04, 2008
Ford
•Market cap: $6.8 billion
•Employees: 87,700
•The company lost $2.7 billion in 2007
Alan Mulally
The Ford boss isn't cash-short. But the company wants a $9 billion standby line of credit in case things get worse.
How It Got Here: After recasting itself as a greener company, Ford got waylaid by the success of its SUVs in the cheap-gas years. When prices soared, it had no great cars to sell.
How to Fix It: Ford's future is pegged to producing small- and medium-size cars, including hybrids, that it can design and sell globally. Still strong in pickups.
Best Hope for Future: The bet is on the 2010 Fiesta, the first product of the One Ford strategy. Available in Europe, the U.S. version will be strikingly similar.