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Leaner Ford Motor Company (F) May Be a Good Long-Term Investment

By U.S. News & World Report

While most of the U.S. economy is firing on all cylinders, the auto industry appears to be spinning its wheels. Ford Motor Company (ticker: F) announced this week that it plans to cut 10 percent of its global workforce, and investors are trying to figure out what to do with Ford’s stock.

U.S. auto sales have been on the decline in 2017 and prices for both used and new cars have fallen as well. Ford reported a 35 percent decline in net income in the first quarter of the year.

“We remain focused on the three strategic priorities that will create value and drive profitable growth, which include fortifying the profit pillars in our core business, transforming traditionally underperforming areas of our core business and investing aggressively, but prudently, in emerging opportunities,” the company said in a statement. “Reducing costs and becoming as lean and efficient as possible also remain part of that work.”

[See: 11 Stocks That Donald Trump Loves.]

One of the company’s aggressive investments includes a $1 billion commitment to artificial intelligence company Argo AI, which is developing autonomous vehicle technology. Ford recently said it expects to deliver a fully autonomous vehicle by 2021.

Wall Street has been mostly quiet on Ford so far in 2017. Back in February, Jefferies upgraded Ford stock from “underperform” to “hold” and raised its price target for the stock from $10 to $12. Analyst Philippee Houchois said Ford’s negative near-term outlook is already priced into the stock.

“Ford’s challenges are sufficiently priced in and risk is slowly moving to the upside,” Houchois wrote. Ford shares were trading above $12 at the time but have since fallen below $11.

In January, RBC Capital upgraded Ford stock from “sector perform” to “outperform” and raised its price target for the stock from $13 to $14. The firm said consensus market expectations “seem properly set,” adding that “Ford is in a better relative position for tax reform” than peers General Motors Co. ( GM) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ( FCAU) due to its North American focus.

[See: Car Companies and the Race to Profits.]

Despite all the headwinds to Ford’s business in the near-term, the company’s cost-cutting and investment initiatives could pay off for patient long-term investors. In the meantime, the stock’s 5.4 percent dividend yield and extremely low 6.5 forward price-earnings ratio may limit potential downside. According to Finviz, Ford and GM are both among the five cheapest stocks in the Standard & Poors 500 Index based on forward P/E.

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Leaner Ford Motor Company (F) May Be a Good Long-Term Investment originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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