Who is the parent company of Ford Motor Company?
There is no parent company above Ford Motor Company; it is an independent, publicly traded automaker. The Ford family maintains control through a multi-class share structure that gives them substantial voting power.
Ownership and governance at a glance
These points summarize who controls Ford Motor Company and how ownership is structured.
- Ford Motor Company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker F.
- There is no corporate parent above Ford Motor Company; it operates as a standalone entity.
- The Ford family holds controlling influence through Class B shares with enhanced voting rights, enabling family members to guide strategy and leadership decisions.
- Other investors, including institutional holders, own the remaining shares but do not have controlling voting power.
- Berkshire Hathaway and other investors have held Ford stock at various times, but such holdings do not create a parent-subsidiary relationship.
In this arrangement, Ford remains a publicly traded company whose governance is shaped by the family’s voting-power structure, while still raising capital from public and institutional investors.
Historical context and clarifications
Foundation and corporate forms
It is a common point of confusion to conflate the Ford Foundation with Ford Motor Company. The Ford Foundation is a separate nonprofit organization created by Henry Ford and his family and is not a parent or controlling entity of Ford Motor Company.
Summary
Bottom line: Ford Motor Company does not have a parent company. It is an independent, publicly traded company that is effectively controlled by the Ford family through a voting-share structure, with no higher corporate entity above it. The Ford Foundation is a distinct organization and does not influence Ford Motor Company's governance.
