Ford Owns Its Logo Again After Credit Upgrade

The Ford logo did not become official until 1961

© photo courtesy of: Ford

Last week, Ford regained ownership of its blue oval logo after Moody's upgraded the company's credit score to an investment grade stock. 

Ford put its blue oval logo and several factories up as collateral when Ford took out $23.5 billion in loans in December 2006. When Moody's declared that Ford was again an investment grade stock on May 22 the assets were released, and Ford was returned the collateral. 

In October 2009, Ford reported its first pre-tax operating profit since the first quarter of 2008, and at the end of 2009 Ford had a $2.7 billion profit compared to a $17.5 billion loss in 2008. By September 2011, Ford had completely paid back the loans, but it did not regain the collateral because the stock ratings agencies still did not see it has investment grade. Now it has finally reached that last step and owns its logo again. 

The stenciled Ford logo was created in 1903 by chief engineer Childe Harold Wills. The Ford script used in a blue logo was not first used on a car until the Ford Model A in 1928, and it became the official company logo in 1961. 

Source: Car and Driver