In this video from Tuesday's MarketFoolery podcast, host Chris Hill and Motley Fool analysts Tim Hanson and Jason Moser sift through the headlines of the day to bring investors the real stories behind today's market moves.
At the end of 2006, Alan Mulally stepped up as CEO of Ford (F +4.11%) and was able to give the culture at the company a dramatic overhaul, reducing inefficiency across the board, by implementing a model he called One Ford. Today after the company released earnings, Jason still sees signs that the company's new model is driving returns, as he sees multiple signs of strength in the report. More broadly, however, Ford continues to struggle with issues related to auto manufacturers as a whole. Legacy costs are an enormous burden for the company, and the incredibly competitive industry is often forced to compete in price, rather than features, which ultimately hurts margins. Tim discusses a different approach to the automaker business model that he sees in Tesla Motors (TSLA +2.40%), which never had to deal with the auto unions and isn't burdened by legacy costs, and can maintain pricing power and compete in brand strength and unique offerings instead, in a way that the traditional automakers struggle to do.
