Tesla vs Ford, side by side
They both make cars, but the market treats them as different species. Tesla builds only electric vehicles, reaches its customers directly, and earns extra from software and energy - which is why it trades on a technology-style valuation rather than a carmaker's. Ford is a hundred-year-old manufacturer with a huge petrol and pickup business (the F-150 is its profit engine) that is investing heavily to catch up on electric while defending its traditional lines.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and quality, and weakest on value.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and momentum, and weakest on quality.
The numbers, side by side
| Measure |  Tesla |  Ford |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $311.21 | $14.68 |
| Market cap: The company's total value on the stock market - share price times the number of shares. Big = 'large-cap', small = 'small-cap'. | $1.23T | $58.54B |
| P/E: Price-to-earnings: the share price divided by yearly profit per share. Lower can mean cheaper; higher often means investors expect fast growth. | 285.5 | — |
| Div yield: Dividend yield: the yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn just from dividends. | 0.0% | 4.1% |
| Revenue growth | 25.5% | -3.8% |
| 1Y: How much the share price has moved over the past year. | -2% | +42% |
More measures
| Forward P/E: Price-to-earnings: the share price divided by yearly profit per share. Lower can mean cheaper; higher often means investors expect fast growth. | 139.9 | 7.7 |
|---|---|---|
| Net margin | 3.7% | -3.9% |
| ROE | 4.7% | -18.3% |
| Beta: How bumpy the share price is versus the whole market. Above 1 swings more than the market; below 1 is calmer. It's about the ride, not whether it goes up or down. | 1.80 | 1.83 |
The bolder figure is simply the larger of the two - higher is not automatically good (a higher P/E means more expectation in the price; a higher beta means bigger swings).
How they differ
Tesla is roughly 21x the size of Ford by market value. On our factor screen Tesla currently screens higher on growth and quality, while Ford screens higher on value and momentum. Ford pays a dividend (4.1%) while Tesla pays little or none. Over the past year the share prices moved -2% (Tesla) vs +42% (Ford).
Descriptive only - how the two compare on today's data, never a verdict on either.
Tesla, in one line
Tesla is a global powerhouse that designs and manufactures electric vehicles, battery energy storage systems, and solar energy products.
Read the full Tesla explainer →Ford, in one line
Ford is a legendary American car manufacturer that is currently navigating the tricky transition from traditional petrol engines to electric vehicles.
Read the full Ford explainer →What to weigh
If dividend income matters to you, the yields differ (0.0% Tesla vs 4.1% Ford). These are facts to understand, not a verdict - read each full explainer before deciding anything.
Common questions
Why is Tesla valued so much more highly than Ford?
Investors are pricing in growth and software profit, not just cars sold. Tesla's valuation assumes it keeps expanding into energy, self-driving and services; Ford is valued much more like a traditional manufacturer, on today's vehicle profits. Whether that gap is deserved is exactly what the debate is about.
What is the biggest risk for each?
For Tesla, that growth slows or rivals catch up while the share price still assumes rapid expansion. For Ford, that the costly shift to electric squeezes profits before it pays off, while it still leans on petrol pickups today.