Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S.-based automaker, is scheduled to report first-quarter results on Tuesday morning.
Ford is viewed by many Americans as a hero for not taking government aid and avoiding bankruptcy, so it should report strong revenue from its North American operations based on a huge U.S. sales increase for the quarter.
Ford rode high quality rankings and goodwill from shunning government aid to a 37 percent U.S. sales increase for the quarter compared with a dismal first quarter of 2009. In addition, the automaker's U.S. market share rose nearly three percentage points to 17.4 percent. In February, Ford outsold General Motors Co. for the first time since August 1998, when GM was in the midst of a strike.
Ford also benefited from Toyota Motor Corp.'s safety troubles, which included several recalls and the company stopping sales and production for about a week during the quarter while repairs were made to gas pedal mechanisms that can stick.
The Dearborn, Mich., automaker's international revenue should rise in the quarter as well due to strong sales. In fast-growing China, Ford sales were up 84 percent for the quarter.
