DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.’s first-quarter internet source of revenue fell 24% from a 12 months in the past as the corporate’s combustion engine automobile unit noticed earnings and gross sales decline.The Dearborn, Michigan, automaker mentioned Wednesday it made $1.33 billion from January via March, in comparison with $1.76 billion a 12 months previous.Aside from one-time pieces, Ford made 49 cents according to proportion, sufficient to overcome analyst estimates of 43 cents, in line with FactSet.Income for the quarter was once up 3.2% to $42.78 billion, however that fell wanting Wall Side road estimates of $42.93 billion.Ford Blue, the combustion engine unit, made $905 million earlier than taxes, down $1.7 billion from a 12 months in the past. Income was once down 13%. The corporate blamed the declines on decrease inventories and number of F-150 pickups because of updating factories for a brand new style.Leader Monetary Officer John Lawler instructed newshounds Wednesday that Ford will recuperate gross sales quantity and choice later within the 12 months, positioning the corporate for sturdy income.Ford Professional, the industrial automobile unit, offset one of the most decline, posting pretax income of simply over $3 billion, greater than double the similar duration ultimate 12 months. Professional earnings was once up 36%.“We’re very successful now, however we imagine that this trade might be successful and sturdy for many future years,” CEO Jim Farley mentioned of the industrial unit.However Style e, the electrical automobile trade, misplaced $1.3 billion, virtually $600 million greater than the primary quarter of ultimate 12 months. The corporate mentioned it is reducing prices, however the ones were erased by means of electrical automobile worth declines around the trade.Farley mentioned the EV trade is the “major drag” on Ford’s efficiency presently. However he pledged additional value cuts, and earnings at the subsequent technology of electrical automobiles popping out within the subsequent two to 3 years. A small workforce on the corporate is operating on underpinnings for smaller extra inexpensive EVs, the corporate mentioned.“We are going to construct a sustainably successful EV trade,” Farley mentioned. “And it wishes to go back the price of capital by itself and no longer be backed.”The corporate held its full-year pretax income forecast at $10 billion to $12 billion, however Lawler predicted it could be towards the prime finish of the variety.It decreased an estimate of full-year capital spending to $8 billion to $9 billion, down from previous steerage of $8 billion to $9.5 billion. The corporate mentioned the diminished spending presentations its dedication to the use of capital successfully.Lawler mentioned Ford expects U.S. auto costs to fall 2% to three% this 12 months, however mentioned that drop didn’t materialize within the first quarter. Costs, he mentioned, held up around the trade.Tale continuesStill, Ford expects the fee drop to occur later within the 12 months.“To this point, the shopper stayed relative sturdy, trade has remained sturdy,” he mentioned.Stocks of Ford rose 3% in buying and selling after Wednesday’s ultimate bell.