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Kevin Jackson, The Motley Fool
Wed, April 8, 2026 astatine 9:06 AM CDT 4 min read
The institution that makes much wealth isn't ever the amended investment, and this examination is simply a cleanable illustration of why.
Ford’s (NYSE:F) gross towers implicit Rivian's (NASDAQ:RIVN) successful each 4th shown successful the illustration below, and it isn't close. But some companies are losing money. That shared world reframes the full comparison. What you really privation to cognize isn't who has the bigger apical enactment today. It's who is gathering a much credible way to profitability.
Image source: The Motley Fool.
Rivian made notable moves this past quarter. It secured an autonomous deployment statement with Uber and precocious its bundle concern with Volkswagen, 2 deals that could meaningfully diversify its gross implicit time. Despite that progress, Rivian inactive reported a nett income borderline of astir -63% for the 4th ended Dec. 31, 2025. That fig looks alarming, but it reflects a institution inactive successful a capital-intensive build-out phase, not needfully a breached concern model.
Ford spent the 4th adjusting assembly lines to prioritize gas-powered vehicles and launching a caller dedicated artillery division. Those are important strategical bets, and they travel with existent costs. For the 4th ended Dec. 31, 2025, Ford recorded a nett income borderline of astir -24%, a nonaccomplishment that's smaller than Rivian's successful percent terms, but striking for a institution operating astatine $40 to $50 cardinal successful quarterly revenue.
Revenue is the foundational measurement of a company's quality to make income earlier immoderate costs are deducted. It's the starting line, not the decorativeness line, which is wherefore the spread betwixt gross and profitability is the fig worthy watching here.
| Q1 2024 (March 2024) | $1.2 billion | $42.8 billion |
| Q2 2024 (June 2024) | $1.2 billion | $47.8 billion |
| Q3 2024 (Sept. 2024) | $874.0 million | $46.2 billion |
| Q4 2024 (Dec. 2024) | $1.7 billion | $48.2 billion |
| Q1 2025 (March 2025) | $1.2 billion | $40.7 billion |
| Q2 2025 (June 2025) | $1.3 billion | $50.2 billion |
| Q3 2025 (Sept. 2025) | $1.6 billion | $50.5 billion |
| Q4 2025 (Dec. 2025) | $1.3 billion | $45.9 billion |
Data source: Company filings. Data arsenic of April 7, 2026.
The information tells a striking story: Ford's gross towers implicit Rivian's successful each quarter, ranging from astir $40 cardinal to $50 cardinal passim 2024 and 2025, portion Rivian's bars hardly registry connected the aforesaid scale. But gross size unsocial doesn't find which institution is the amended investment.
Ford's monolithic apical enactment comes with a -24% nett income borderline arsenic of Q4 2025. Rivian's -63% borderline looks alarming, but it reflects a institution inactive successful its capital-intensive build-out phase. The much utile question for you isn't who makes much gross today. It's who is closing the spread betwixt gross and profitability faster.
Watch whether Rivian's Volkswagen concern and Uber autonomous deployment woody statesman to meaningfully diversify its revenue. A affirmative awesome would beryllium gross increasing 20% oregon much year-over-year successful 2026 portion losses narrow. For Ford, way whether its displacement toward gas-powered vehicles really improves margins. Both companies are losing money. The victor implicit the adjacent 5 years volition beryllium whichever 1 shows a credible, accelerating way to profitability.
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