Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) today released its 2016 annual report, which details the progress Ford made last year in its continued expansion to be an auto and mobility company.
For full-year 2016, Ford had a solid $4.6 billion in net income and a total company adjusted pre-tax profit of $10.4 billion, the second best in company history. The company also rewarded shareholders by distributing $3.5 billion, including the first supplemental dividend of $1 billion. Globally, Ford launched 11 new vehicles in 2016, including the all-new Ford F-Series Super Duty, the new Ford Escape and the flagship Lincoln Continental.
“Our solid performance in 2016 underscores the substantial progress we are making in expanding our business to be an auto and a mobility company,” said Mark Fields, Ford president and chief executive officer. “This year, we’re focused on building on our strengths, transforming underperforming parts of our business and investing in the emerging opportunities that will provide even more profitable growth in the future.”
The full report can be found in pdf format at www.shareholder.ford.com, and an expanded web version of the report can be found at annualreport.ford.com.
Ford also announced today the company would be conducting its annual meeting at 8:30 a.m. EDT, Thursday, May 11. The meeting is being conducted virtually this year for the first time, following a growing trend of top companies moving to virtual meetings. Shareholders will be able to listen, vote and submit questions from their homes or any remote location with internet connectivity.
“We take very seriously the trust that our shareholders place in our leadership team,” said Bill Ford, Ford executive chairman. “The annual meeting is an important opportunity for us to hear directly from our shareholders, and the virtual nature of this year’s meeting will enable us to increase shareholder accessibility, while improving efficiency and reducing costs.”
Broadridge Financial Solutions, the financial services technology firm that will help facilitate the meeting, has been working with companies to conduct virtual annual meetings since 2009.
In 2016, Broadridge helped more than 180 companies conduct virtual annual meetings, up from 28 in 2010.
Shareholders can submit questions in two ways this year: They can do so either up to three days prior to the meeting, or during the meeting. Questions pertinent to meeting matters that cannot be answered during the meeting due to time constraints will be answered and posted online, and on Ford’s shareholder website at www.shareholder.ford.com.
On the day of the meeting, shareholders can participate online by logging in at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/FORD.
Full details and instructions also can be found on Ford’s shareholder website and on page 83 of the 2017 proxy statement, which is being published today. The statement contains details of four company and two shareholder proposals, as well as compensation for this year’s named executive officers.
Ford offers registered shareholders the opportunity to reduce their environmental impact with the option of receiving proxy materials electronically by registering online with www.eTree.com/Ford. For each registered shareholder who signs up for electronic delivery of proxy materials, a tree will be planted on that person’s behalf.
During 2016, more than 1,000 trees were planted as a result of Ford shareholders enrolling in the electronic delivery program. Since inception of the option, more than 6,252 trees have been planted.
Ford’s annual report, proxy statement and details of the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders are available at www.shareholder.ford.com.
