Ford: The Ultimate Turnaround Story (F)

Shares of Ford (NYSE: F) got a boost last night from CNBC's Jim Cramer, but they certainly didn't need it.Cramer mentioned them as worthy of being a buy candidate, but this is nothing new. Ford's stock has been nothing short of remarkable, since December 2008 when it was under $1 per share. Shares are currently over $12, a remarkable run for a company that many though would need to go into bankruptcy or need government help.Since dropping to under $1, Ford has done everything right. From cutting its massive debt load, getting products out to market, to making the company more competitive on a global scale, Ford has certainly stepped on the gas pedal at the right time and never looked back. One can never underestimate goodwill, and Ford has certainly been a beneficiary of it. Consumers rewarded Ford by not taking government money, when competitors General Motors and Chrysler did. In tune, consumers bought more Ford products than they did GM or Chrysler to show their appreciation for doing business the right way, and it's showed. Ford has continued to gain market share here in the U.S., and is now the 2nd largest automaker in the U.S..Wall Street has been impressed with the turnaround story at Ford, as evidenced by an upgrade at Barclays.This morning, Barclays analyst Brian Johnson upgraded the company to Overweight from Equal Weight, and raised his price target to $16 from $15, citing Ford's increased earnings power despite slow U.S. sales. Ford is definitely one of the greatest turnaround stories this country has ever seen, as is a prime example of the "can do" spirit that American manufacturing is famous for.Bravo Alan Mulally, you have done a wonderful job. You've turned a company around, made your shareholders much more wealthy and vastly improved the company's image in the eyes of the American consumer. That's something to be commended for.