This morning, Ford Motor Company announced a full-year, pre-tax operating profit of $8.8 billion for 2011. This is an increase of $463 million from 2010. Good results in the North American sales market and from Ford Credit outweighed disappointing returns from Europe and other regions.

This is the company’s third consecutive annual operating profit.

“We delivered strong results for the full year as we continued to serve our customers around the world with best-in-class vehicles and make progress toward our mid-decade goals,” said Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO. “Despite the continued uncertainty in the external environment, the strength of our North American and Ford Credit operations allows us to continue to invest for future growth and develop outstanding products with segment-leading quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.”

Full year 2011 net income was $20.2 billion, or $4.94 per share, an increase of $13.7 billion, or $3.28 per share, from a year ago. The results include a favorable one-time, non-cash special item of $12.4 billion for the release of almost all of the valuation allowance against the company’s net deferred tax assets. Ford began to record a valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets in the third quarter of 2006, reflecting large cumulative losses incurred, as well as its financial outlook at the time. Consistent delivery over the past few years of strong improvement in the company’s business results now supports the release of almost all of the valuation allowance.

Fourth quarter 2011 pre-tax operating profit was $1.1 billion, or 20 cents per share, a decrease of $189 million from fourth quarter 2010. Ford has now posted 10 consecutive quarters of pre-tax operating profit, as the company benefited from strong volume and revenue across its global product line.

Ford reported fourth quarter net income of $13.6 billion, or $3.40 per share, an increase of $13.4 billion, or $3.35 per share, from the fourth quarter of 2010. This includes the favorable impact related to releasing $12.4 billion of the valuation allowance.

Fourth quarter net income also was affected by a favorable special item of $401 million related to the sale of Ford’s Russian operations to the newly created FordSollers joint venture, which began operations on Oct. 1, 2011.

As a result of Ford’s 2011 financial performance, Ford will make profit sharing payments to approximately 41,600 eligible U.S. hourly employees. In accordance with the formula in the UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement, Ford’s North American pre-tax profits of $6.2 billion will generate approximately $6,200 per eligible employee on a full year basis. Based on first-half 2011 results, the formula generated approximately $3,750 per employee, which was distributed in December 2011. For the second half of 2011, the formula generated approximately $2,450 per employee, which is planned to be distributed in March. Individual profit sharing payments will be higher or lower based on employee compensated hours.

Ford generated positive Automotive operating-related cash flow of $700 million in the fourth quarter and $5.6 billion in the full year, an improvement of $1.2 billion from full year 2010.

Ford finished the year with Automotive gross cash of $22.9 billion, compared with Automotive gross cash of $20.8 billion as of Sept. 30, 2011, and $20.5 billion as of Dec. 31, 2010. Ford had total Automotive debt of $13.1 billion as of Dec. 31, 2011, compared with total Automotive debt of $12.7 billion as of Sept. 30, 2011, and $19.1 billion as of Dec. 31, 2010. Total Automotive liquidity at year end 2011 was $32.4 billion, including all available credit lines.

As part of Ford’s long-term strategy to reduce risk in its funded pension plans, the company expects to make cash contributions to its funded pension plans in 2012 of about $3.5 billion globally, including discretionary contributions to its U.S. plans of about $2 billion.

“2011 marked a milestone year in our work to strengthen our balance sheet. We increased Automotive cash, reduced debt and improved liquidity, clearing the way for us to resume paying a quarterly dividend,” said Lewis Booth, Ford executive vice president and chief financial officer. “We are building on this strong foundation in 2012 and taking actions when appropriate to strengthen further our balance sheet.”