Barclays upgrades GM, Ford to Overweight on 'historically cheap valuation'

Barclays upgraded Detroit automakers, General Motors (NYSE: GM ) and Ford (NYSE: F ) to Overweight ratings (From Equal-weight) as the companies move past the recent six-week long UAW labor strikes.

Analysts suggest that the various challenges facing the business have created "peak pain," resulting in historically low trading multiples. And while Barclays recognizes that long-term structural issues may persist, they remain optimistic that a modest shift in the overwhelmingly negative sentiment could lead to significant upside potential.

Historically, owning Ford/GM has not been driven by valuation, as investors often argue that they are cheap for a reason. Nonetheless, analysts maintain that due to their historically depressed multiples, there is potential for significant gains.

GM is trading at 4x ’24E PE, its lowest multiple since re-IPO’ing 13 yrs ago. Similarly, with Ford currently trading at ~5.5x, it too is trading historically cheap – 2 turns below its historical level.

“If both companies see their stocks return to historical multiples, there is still attractive upside even on ’24 estimates reflecting more normalized profit.” Wrote analysts in a note.

Barclays also revised their outlook on the US Autos & Mobility industry, upgrading it from Neutral to Positive. They maintain a strong inclination towards suppliers, anticipating considerable growth potential.

Shares of GM are down 0.02%, while shares of F are up 1.40% in mid-day trading on Wednesday.