Ford Motor Company shares have had a nice run-up since hitting a double-bottom in early September. Wary of the pricier valuation, an analyst at Jefferies chose to move to the sidelines. The Ford Analyst Philippe Houchois downgraded Ford from Buy to Hold and increased the price target from $20 to $25. This comes on the heels of a downgrade by RBC Capital Markets last week. The Ford Thesis Ford has replaced, revived, or re-invented all key product franchises, leapfrogging early EV movers in the U.S. and Europe, Houchois said in a note. The company’s “Global Redesign” has closed most of the gap with General Motors Corporation’s cost base and retained a reduced but still solid global exposure. Balance sheet repair happened faster than Jefferies anticipated, with a bonus from the non-core stake in Rivian Automotive Inc. Ford Credit appears strong with low-end leverage despite generous distribution, he added. “We are confident about Ford growing …