Goldman Sachs analyst Jerry Revich downgraded Allison Transmission (ALSN) to Neutral from Buy with an unchanged price target of $41. The manufacturer of fully-automatic transmissions for trucks closed Friday up 24c to $36.79. The stock, currently trading at an 8% free cash flow yield versus 13% in Sept. 2013, offers limited upside and a balanced risk/reward profile, Revich tells investors in a research note. He also believes that the range of competitive transmission options is rising. Ford (F) is gaining share with its automotive engine and transmission, Revich points out.

Allison Transmission partnered with SANY, a global heavy equipment manufacturer for the mining and construction markets, to integrate the Allison 4970 Specialty Series transmission into SANY's STC5000 500-ton all-terrain crane. These new cranes will be in operation in remote areas of China including the desert and mountain terrain. "Our off-highway vehicles require a powerful transmission designed to meet the challenge of navigating difficult terrain," said Du Jian, R&D Director of Crane Chassis, SANY. "We selected the Allison 4970 SP due to its proven ability to increase vehicle productivity and maneuverability." In addition to SANY's STC5000 crane, Allison is also the propulsion solution provider for the company's SAC600E 60-ton crane.

Ford is recalling over 456,000 Bronco Sport and Maverick vehicles due to a battery detection issue that can result in loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash, Wyatte Grantham-Philips of The Associated Press reports, citing documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall covers about 403,000 model year 2021-2024 Bronco Sports produced between February 2020 and March 2024, as well as more than 53,000 model year 2022-2023 Mavericks manufactured from February 2021 to October 2022, according to the report. A Ford spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press Wednesday, that the software update should arrive by later in the second quarter, commenting that "safety is a top priority, and we are taking proactive measures to address this issue promptly and effectively." Reference Link