2007-01-25 00:00:00.0: Ford Motor Credit Earns $1.3 Billion in 2006* at InternetAutoGuide.com

Ford Motor Credit Earns $1.3 Billion in 2006*

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Ford Motor Credit Earns $1.3 Billion in 2006* - Auto News from January 25, 2007

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford Motor Credit Company reported net income of $1,283 million in 2006, down $621 million from earnings of $1,904 million a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis from continuing operations, Ford Motor Credit earned $1,953 million in 2006, down $970 million from 2005. The decrease in full year earnings primarily reflected higher borrowing costs, higher depreciation expense and the impact of lower average receivable levels. These were offset partially by market valuations primarily related to non-designated derivatives and reduced operating costs.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, Ford Motor Credit's net income was $279 million, down $26 million from a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis from continuing operations, Ford Motor Credit earned $406 million in the fourth quarter, compared with $482 million in the previous year. The decrease in fourth quarter earnings primarily reflected higher borrowing costs and higher depreciation expense, offset partially by market valuations primarily related to non-designated derivatives.

"Our results for 2006 were in line with our expectations. We made good progress on several fronts this year, notably our solid funding and strong liquidity, our focus on global cost reduction and our plans to restructure our North American operations," said Mike Bannister, chairman and CEO.

"In 2007 we expect lower earnings due to margin and volume pressures and lower credit loss reserve reductions. Our sustained focus will be on operational effectiveness, strong dealer service and profitably supporting Ford vehicle sales worldwide."

On December 31, 2006, Ford Motor Credit's on-balance sheet net receivables totaled $135 billion, compared with $132 billion at year-end 2005. Managed receivables were $148 billion, down from $150 billion a year ago.

Ford Motor Credit paid dividends of $1.4 billion in 2006. On December 31, managed leverage was 11.4 to 1.

       Ford Motor Credit Company is one of the world's largest automotive
       finance companies and has supported the sale of Ford products since
       1959.  Ford Motor Credit is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of
       Ford Motor Company.  It provides automotive financing for Ford,
       Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda and Volvo
       dealers and customers.  More information can be found at
       http://www.fordcredit.com and at Ford Motor Credit's investor center,
       http://www.fordcredit.com/investorcenter/.

     - - - - -
     * The financial results discussed herein are presented on a preliminary
       basis using currently available information. While we believe these
       data are meaningful and accurate, they may differ from the formal data
       reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
       31, 2006 ("Form 10-K Report").  We do not intend and assume no
       obligation to update these data prior to the filing of our Form 10-K
       Report.



                  FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                 PRELIMINARY
                       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
                                (in millions)

                                     Fourth Quarter          Full Year
                                    -----------------    ------------------
                                      2006      2005       2006      2005
                                    -------   -------    -------    -------
                                       (Unaudited)     (Unaudited)
    Financing revenue
      Operating leases              $1,465    $1,291     $5,608    $5,286
      Retail                           879       921      3,649     3,932
      Interest supplements and
       other support costs earned
       from affiliated companies     1,004       825      3,487     3,259
      Wholesale                        571       437      2,419     1,232
      Other                             52        57        215       221
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
        Total financing revenue      3,971     3,531     15,378    13,930
    Depreciation on vehicles
     subject to operating leases    (1,370)   (1,133)    (5,189)   (4,430)
    Interest expense                (2,096)   (1,732)    (7,818)   (6,616)------    ------     ------    ------
      Net financing margin             505       666      2,371     2,884
    Other revenue
      Investment and other income
       related to sales
       of receivables                  126       270        668     1,513
      Insurance premiums earned, net    40        40        182       192
      Other income                     330       178      1,019       845
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
        Total financing margin and
         other revenue               1,001     1,154      4,240     5,434
    Expenses
      Operating expenses               547       578      2,038     2,185
      Provision for credit losses       31        79         95       166
      Insurance expenses                17        15        154       160
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
        Total expenses                 595       672      2,287     2,511
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
    Income from continuing
     operations before income taxes    406       482      1,953     2,923
    Provision for income taxes         127       177        670     1,059
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
      Income from continuing
       operations before minority
       interests                       279       305      1,283     1,864
    Minority interests in net
     income of subsidiaries              -         -          -         1
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
      Income from continuing
       operations                      279       305      1,283     1,863
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
    Income from discontinued
     operations                          -         -          -        37
    Gain on disposal of discontinued
     operations                          -         -          -         4
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
      Net income                    $  279    $  305     $1,283    $1,904
                                    ======    ======     ======    ======



                  FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                 PRELIMINARY
                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                                (in millions)December 31,    December 31,
                                                     2006           2005
                                                -------------   --------------
                                                 (Unaudited)
    ASSETS
      Cash and cash equivalents                 $     12,331    $    14,798
      Marketable securities                           10,161          3,810
      Finance receivables, net                       109,405        109,876
      Net investment in operating leases              25,939         22,213
      Retained interest in securitized assets            990          1,420
      Notes and accounts receivable from
       affiliated companies                              950          1,235
      Derivative financial instruments                 1,804          2,547
      Other assets                                     5,752          6,363
                                                ------------    -----------
        Total assets                            $    167,332    $   162,262
                                                ============    ===========

    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
    Liabilities
      Accounts payable
        Customer deposits, dealer reserves and
         other                                  $      1,509    $     1,904
        Affiliated companies                           3,648            794
                                                ------------    -----------
          Total accounts payable                       5,157          2,698
       Debt                                          139,740        133,446
       Deferred income taxes, net                      6,783          9,276
       Derivative financial instruments                  296            680
       Other liabilities and deferred income           3,588          4,755
                                                ------------    -----------
         Total liabilities                           155,564        150,855

    Minority interests in net assets of subsidiaries       3              3

    Stockholder's equity
      Capital stock, par value $100 a share,
       250,000 shares authorized, issued and
       outstanding                                        25             25
      Paid-in surplus (contributions by stockholder)   5,124          5,117
      Accumulated other comprehensive income             825            391Retained earnings                                5,791          5,871
                                                ------------    -----------
        Total stockholder's equity                    11,765         11,404
                                                ------------    -----------
        Total liabilities and stockholder's
         equity                                 $    167,332    $   162,262
                                                ============    ===========



                  FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                            OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS*


                                     Fourth Quarter          Full Year
                                    -----------------    ----------------
    Financing Shares                 2006      2005       2006      2005
                                    -------   -------    -------   -------
    United States
      Financing share - Ford,
       Lincoln and Mercury
        Retail installment and lease    33%       37%        44%       37%
        Wholesale                       80        80         80        81
    Europe
      Financing share - Ford
        Retail installment and lease    30%       29%        27%       28%
        Wholesale                       95        95         95        96

    Contract Volume - New and used
     retail/lease (in thousands)
    North America segment
      United States                    262       329      1,574     1,498
      Canada                            43        35        189       169
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
        Total North America segment    305       364      1,763     1,667

    International segment
      Europe                           171       163        711       734
      Other international               52        64        233       276
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
        Total International segment    223       227        944     1,010
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
          Total contract volume        528       591      2,707     2,677
                                    ======    ======     ======    ======

    Borrowing Cost Rate**              5.9%      5.1%       5.5%      4.5%

    Charge-offs (in millions)
      On-Balance Sheet Receivables
        Retail installment & lease  $  158    $  193     $  465    $  681
        Wholesale                       19        13         44        23
        Other                           12         7         14         2
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
          Total charge-offs -
           on-balance sheet
           receivables              $  189    $  213     $  523    $  706
                                    ======    ======     ======    ======

      Total loss-to-receivables
       ratio                          0.56%     0.68%      0.39%     0.57%

      Managed Receivables***
        Retail installment & lease  $  179    $  226     $  551    $  830
        Wholesale                       19        13         44        23
        Other                           12         7         14         2
                                    ------    ------     ------    ------
          Total charge-offs -
           managed receivables      $  210    $  246     $  609    $  855
                                    ======    ======     ======    ======

      Total loss-to-receivables
       ratio                          0.56%     0.65%      0.41%     0.54%

     - - - - -
     *   Continuing operations
     **  On-balance sheet debt, includes the effect of interest rate swap
         agreements
     *** See appendix for additional information



                  FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                   APPENDIX

In evaluating Ford Motor Credit's financial performance, Ford Motor Credit management uses financial statements and other financial measures in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Included below are brief definitions of key terms, information about the impact of on- balance sheet securitization and a reconciliation of other measures to GAAP.

    KEY TERMS:
      - Managed receivables:  receivables reported on Ford Motor Credit's
        balance sheet and receivables Ford Motor Credit sold in off-balance
        sheet securitizations and continues to service
      - Charge-offs on managed receivables:  charge-offs associated with
        receivables reported on Ford Motor Credit's balance sheet and charge-
        offs associated with receivables that Ford Motor Credit sold in off-
        balance sheet securitizations and continues to service

    IMPACT OF ON-BALANCE SHEET SECURITIZATION:  finance receivables (retail
      and wholesale) and investments in operating leases reported on Ford
      Motor Credit's balance sheet include assets transferred in
      securitizations that do not qualify for accounting sale treatment.
      These assets have been sold or transferred for legal purposes and are
      available only for repayment of the debt or other obligations issued or
      arising in the securitization transactions and to pay other transaction
      participants; they are not available to pay the other obligations of
      Ford Motor Credit or the claims of Ford Motor Credit's other creditors.
      Debt reported on Ford Motor Credit's balance sheet includes debt which
      is payable out of collections on the assets supporting the
      securitizations and is not the legal obligation of Ford Motor Credit or
      its other subsidiaries.

    RECONCILIATION OF MEASURES TO GAAP:

    Managed Leverage Calculation                 December 31,   December 31,
                                                     2006           2005
                                                --------------  -------------
                                                       (in billions)
    Total debt                                  $      139.7    $     133.4
    Securitized off-balance sheet receivables
     outstanding                                        12.2           18.0
    Retained interest in securitized off-balance
     sheet receivables                                  (1.0)          (1.4)
    Adjustments for cash and cash equivalents,
     and marketable securities *                       (21.8)         (17.9)
    Fair value hedge accounting adjustments             (0.1)          (0.5)
                                                ------------    -----------
      Total adjusted debt                       $      129.0    $     131.6============    ===========

    Total stockholder's equity (including
     minority interest)                                $11.8    $      11.4
    Fair value hedge accounting adjustments             (0.5)          (0.7)
                                                ------------    -----------
      Total adjusted equity                     $       11.3    $      10.7
                                                ============    ===========

    Managed leverage (to 1) = adjusted debt /
     adjusted equity                                    11.4           12.3
    Memo: Financial statement leverage (to 1)
     = total debt / stockholder's equity                11.9           11.7


    Net Finance Receivables and
     Operating Leases                            Managed Receivables
                                 -------------------------------------------
                                  On-Balance       Off-Balance
                                   Sheet              Sheet           Total
                                 -------------  --------------- -------------
    December 31, 2006                             (in billions)
    -----------------
    Retail installment           $      70.4    $       12.2    $      82.6
    Wholesale                           35.2               -           35.2
    Other finance receivables            3.8               -            3.8
    Net investment in
     operating leases                   25.9               -           25.9
                                ------------    ------------    -----------
      Total net finance
       receivables and
       operating leases         $      135.3    $       12.2    $     147.5
                                ============    ============    ===========

    December 31, 2005
    -----------------
    Retail installment          $       65.7    $       18.0    $      83.7
    Wholesale                           39.6               -           39.6
    Other finance receivables            4.6               -            4.6
    Net investment in
     operating leases                   22.2               -           22.2
                                ------------    ------------    -----------
      Total net finance
       receivables and
       operating leases         $      132.1   $        18.0    $     150.1
                                ============    ============    ===========
     - - - - -
     *   Excluding marketable securities related to insurance activities

Ford Motor Credit Company
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