The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Ford Motor, General Motors, Honda Motor, Tesla Motors and Toyota Motor

CHICAGO, Sept. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include the Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F-Free Report), General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM-Free Report), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC-Free Report), Tesla Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq:TSLA-Free Report) and Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM-Free Report).

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

Here are highlights from Thursday's Analyst Blog:

Auto Stock Roundup

Auto stocks remained subdued last week as recalls by Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F-Free Report), General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM-Free Report) and Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE:HMC-Free Report) weighed on the stocks. Even the China sales figures of Ford could not bring positive momentum to the stock as the year-over-year growth in August was weak compared with the first 7 months of 2014.

Even bellwether Tesla Motors, Inc. (Nasdaq:TSLA-Free Report), which attained new all-time highs in four consecutive trading sessions up till Sep 4, 2014, fell over the week after CEO Elon Musk said that he considered the share price to be high. (Read last to last week's recap here: Auto Stock Roundup: August Sales Data, Tesla Dominates Headlines)

Recap of the Week's Most Important Stories

1. Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed in a news conference in Tokyo that a new deal with Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE:TM-Free Report) is possible in the coming 2–3 years. The electric carmaker currently supplies batteries and motors for the Japanese carmaker's electric SUV RAV4. While Musk did not divulge any details as to the nature of the expected agreement, he hinted that it would be of a larger scale than the current deal. (Read more: Tesla to Sign New Deal with Toyota?)
2. Ford sold 77,506 vehicles in China in Aug 2014, which reflects a 9% year-over-year increase from 71,183 units sold in Aug 2013. However, the year-over-year growth was weak compared with the first 7 months of 2014. Year-to-date sales of Ford in the world's largest automobile market amounted to 717,537 units, up 30% from 551,738 vehicles sold in the first 8 months of 2013. (Read more: Ford's Sales in China Increase 9% Y/Y in August 2014.)
3. Ford's Chinese joint venture Changan Ford Automobile Co Ltd. is recalling 191,770 Focus vehicles in China as the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine found the risk of fuel leak, which could even lead to fire. (Read more: Ford Recalls Focus in China on Fuel Leak Risk, Shares Down.) Meanwhile, General Motors' Chinese joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp. – Shanghai General Motors Co – announced a recall of 38,328 Cadillac sedans in the nation as some drivers were facing problems in accelerating the vehicles owing to faulty software. (Read more: General Motors Recalls 38,328 Cadillac Sedans in China.) Honda also announced a recall of 126,000 GL-1800 motorcycles for the second time to repair faulty secondary brake master cylinder.
4. General Motors announced that its model year 2017 Cadillac vehicles will feature an advanced automated driver assist technology named Super Cruise. The company also plans to introduce vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology in the 2017 Cadillac CTS. General Motors expects to introduce the 2017 Cadillac vehicles, integrated with the V2V technology and Super Cruise feature, in 2016. (Read more: GM's 2017 Cadillac to Offer Advanced Driver Assist.)
5. Toyota unveiled a new concept car, the Urban Utility concept vehicle – or U², developed according to the needs of an "entrepreneurial, urban driver." The compact car offers high functionality and ample space with customizable interiors. It also boasts innovative features such as roof panels that can roll back, tailgate that turns into a ramp and a retractable utility bar that can be customized to hold a desk or grocery bag hooks. The car will be displayed to the public at the World Maker Faire in New York City on Sep 20 and 21.

Today, Zacks is promoting its ''Buy'' stock recommendations. Get #1Stock of the Day pick for free.

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