F vs STLA: Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.

Reading it: STLA is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.

The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. F and STLA share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.

This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined F and STLA exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.

Ford Motor Company designs, manufactures, and sells trucks, SUVs, vans, and cars worldwide, along with Ford Credit financing. Since 2022 it has reported results across three operating segments: Ford Blue (traditional gas and hybrid vehicles, anchored by the F-Series trucks), Ford Pro (commercial vehicles, fleet software, and services), and Ford Model e (its electric-vehicle business). Ford Pro is the standout, generating roughly $66 billion of revenue and about $6.8 billion of EBIT in 2025 at a double-digit margin, making it the company's profit engine, while Ford Blue remains a large but lower-margin volume business.

Full F guide

Stellantis N.V. is a multinational automaker created in 2021 from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France's PSA Group. It sells vehicles worldwide under roughly a dozen and a half brands, including the profitable US trio of Jeep, Ram, and Dodge, plus Chrysler, Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Opel, Vauxhall, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and others. It is one of the largest carmakers in the world by volume and lists in the US, Milan, and Paris. After a strong early run on high North American profits, the company hit a rough patch marked by falling US sales, bloated inventory, strained dealer and supplier relationships, and a costly, aggressive electric-vehicle strategy.

Full STLA guide

Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.

• F drivers: Ford Pro as the profit engine; Hybrids and the pragmatic powertrain pivot.
• STLA drivers: Turnaround under a new CEO; Low valuation and capital returns.

A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: Ford Model e continues to lose billions per year, and large EV-related charges pushed full-year 2025 to a net loss of about $8.2 billion, so consolidated results can swing sharply. For STLA, the dominant risk is cyclicality: automakers' profits swing sharply with the economy, consumer confidence, and interest rates, so a downturn can quickly hurt sales and earnings.

Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick F if you believe its drivers more; STLA if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the F and STLA guides.

F. Ford guided to full-year 2026 adjusted EBIT of roughly $8.0 billion to $10.5 billion and adjusted free cash flow of about $5 billion to $6 billion. The valuation looks undemanding on an earnings basis, but the low multiple reflects cyclicality, EV losses, and tariff uncertainty rather than a simple bargain. Figures are approximate and shift with each quarterly report.

STLA. Figures are approximate and tied to the asOf date; verify live numbers before acting. Automakers like Stellantis typically trade at low multiples because their earnings are cyclical and capital-intensive, so a cheap-looking valuation can reflect real risk rather than a bargain. The turnaround has shown early progress, but the stock's re-rating depends on sustained execution across North America, pricing, and EV strategy, not a single strong quarter.

Headline figures (approximate, JUNE 2026): F shows revenue (ttm) ~$190 billion, revenue (fy2025) ~$187 billion, q1 2026 revenue ~$43.3 billion (up ~6% YoY), q1 2026 eps ~$0.66; STLA shows business model Global automaker with roughly a dozen and a half brands including Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, and Opel, recent results Q1 2026 sales up about 6% with a positive earnings beat; Q2 2026 shipments up roughly 10% year over year, turnaround New CEO Antonio Filosa calls 2026 the "year of execution," prioritizing US brands and affordable models, ev strategy Unwinding predecessor's aggressive all-electric plans, including a large charge tied to the change.

F and STLA are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined F and STLA exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.