Ford Considers Selling Hertz
DEARBORN, Mich. -– During a conference call to announce first-quarter financial results, Ford Motor Co. CEO Bill Ford suggested that the company is considering selling Hertz Corp.
DEARBORN, Mich. -– During a conference call to announce first-quarter financial results, Ford Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Bill Ford suggested the company is considering selling Hertz Corp.
"The market is pretty buoyant right now, Hertz is doing well, and it's probably the right time to take a look at it," Ford said in response to a question from a Merrill Lynch analyst.
Ford called Hertz "a great company," but also acknowledged that car rental is outside of Ford's core business in the long term.
The question about Hertz was raised by an earlier statement from Don Leclair, Ford's chief financial officer.
"We have to ensure that we have the right capital structure to support our business. In that regard, Hertz is a great, well-managed business," Leclair said. "As a result of their strong performance and our continued de-emphasis of selling vehicles to the daily rental companies, we are beginning to evaluate long-term strategic objectives for Hertz."
Hertz became a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford in March 2001, after Ford reacquired the outstanding 18.5% of Hertz's stock.
More Rental Operations
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →
Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →