Ford Stock Sees Lift on Expanded Volkswagen Partnership

Ford has been climbing the charts since its December bottom

Shares of Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) are higher this morning, after the car name announced an extended collaboration with sector peer Volkswagen. Specifically, the two automakers will take equal minority stakes in self-driving and electric vehicle startup Argo, which will result in a majority stake when combined. The deal allows the companies to benefit from each others' technologies, and spread out the cost of development efforts. At last check, F was up 1.6% at $10.36.

Ford stock has been climbing the charts since touching a nine-year low of $7.41 back on Dec. 26, with recent support emerging at both the 50- and 60-day moving averages. The security has now accrued a 34% year-to-date lead, and following today's pop, will be eyeing its late-April to mid-May multi-month highs.

Analysts have yet to weigh in on today's partnership, but as of last night, nine of 14 following firms carried a tepid "hold" or worse rating on Ford Motor. The stock's average 12-month price target of $10.73 does, however, come 4% above current trading levels.

Lastly, short-term options premiums are relatively cheap at the moment. This is based on F stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 25%, which ranks in the 19th percentile of its annual range, indicating low volatility expectations are being priced in to near-term contracts.