It's becoming a habit at Ford.
Beating the street and forcing analysts to raise estimates for when the auto maker will get back in the black.
The second quarter numbersreleased today are further proof the country's #2 car company will likely be turning a profit fairly soon.
How far ahead of estimates are the Ford results?
By a long ways.
* A loss of 21 cents a share compared to the street expecting a drop of 48 cents per share.
* Revenue of $27.2 Billion is $2.5 Billion more than analysts forecasted.
* Ford ended the second quarter with $21 Billion in cash on hand while many predicted the company would be down to $19 Billion.
I could go on and on, but the point is clear: Ford is within spitting distance of getting back in the black. In typical fashion, Ford CEO Alan Mulally downplayed speculation of Ford returning to profitability when I talked with him minutes after the results came out. "We are on plan to meet our profitability and cash flow targets," said Mulally. That's his way of saying, Ford will not change guidance of turning a profit by 2011.