Part 4/10:
A critical focus of concern is Ford's ballooning debt. By 2023, Ford's total debt hit nearly $150 billion, resulting in a debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio of 2.2—far above the industry average of 1.01. While Ford has historically struggled with debt, its current trajectory is alarming. In 2019, before the pandemic, they exhibited a D/E ratio of 3. A slight reduction in 2021 saw temporary relief, but debt levels began creeping up again, jumping by over $10 billion in 2023 alone.