General Motors is heading into the final days of 2025 as the strongest-performing U.S.-traded automaker, capping what has become its most consequential year in the equity markets since emerging from bankruptcy more than a decade ago.
A powerful mix of earnings consistency, shareholder-friendly capital allocation, regulatory tailwinds, and a recalibration of the auto industry’s electric vehicle ambitions has driven GM shares to record highs and reshaped how investors view the Detroit manufacturer’s long-term prospects.
GM stock has climbed more than 55% this year to above $80 per share, marking its best annual performance since 2009 and surpassing last year’s 48.3% gain. The rally has accelerated into year-end, with shares rising nearly 13% in December alone and extending a streak of five straight months of gains, according to FactSet data. Since June, the stock has remained positive on a cumulative weekly basis, underlining the durability of investor confidence rather than a short-lived trading surge.
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According to CNBC, that performance places GM well ahead of its peers. Tesla has gained about 17% this year, Ford Motor is up roughly 34%, while Stellantis, the parent of Chrysler, has recorded a notable decline. Japanese rivals Toyota Motor and Honda Motor have posted more modest advances, leaving GM as the clear outlier among major global automakers listed in the U.S.
For GM’s management, the rally validates an argument they have made repeatedly over the years: that the company’s market valuation failed to capture its earnings power and operational discipline. Chief Executive Mary Barra has consistently pointed to GM’s ability to generate cash through cycles, manage costs, and deliver shareholder returns as evidence that the stock was mispriced.
“Great vehicles, innovative technology, a rewarding customer experience, along with strong financial results, will continue to set GM apart in an increasingly competitive landscape,” Barra told analysts during the company’s October earnings call.
Earnings execution has been central to that narrative. Over the past five years, GM has beaten Wall Street’s adjusted earnings-per-share expectations in every quarter except one, based on analyst estimates compiled by FactSet. That track record has given investors confidence in management’s guidance and long-term planning. The third-quarter earnings report in October proved to be a turning point, with GM not only exceeding forecasts but also raising its full-year outlook and signaling that earnings in 2026 are expected to surpass those projected for 2025. The stock jumped more than 19% that week, its largest weekly gain of the year.
Analysts responded quickly. UBS raised its 12-month price target on GM by 14% to $97 per share and named the automaker its top pick heading into 2026. Morgan Stanley followed with an upgrade to overweight and a $90 price target, highlighting GM’s performance relative to what it called the “Detroit Three.”
“In our view, General Motors leads the D3 in the North America and global market with steady unit sales growth, average transaction price growth, disciplined incentive spend and inventory management,” Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco wrote in a Dec. 7 note.
He added that this operating approach has translated into stronger margins and returns than those of competitors.
Beyond earnings, GM’s capital allocation strategy has played a major role in the stock’s ascent. The company has leaned aggressively into share buybacks, reducing its share count and amplifying earnings per share. Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said earlier this month that buybacks remain a priority as long as management believes the stock trades below its intrinsic value.
“As long as the stock remains as undervalued as it is, the priority is to buy back shares,” Jacobson said at a UBS investor conference. “And I think you’ll continue to see that from us going forward.”
That approach has coincided with notable insider activity. Barra has exercised options or sold roughly 1.8 million shares this year, transactions valued at more than $73 million, according to public filings confirmed by GM. As of her most recent disclosure in September, she still owned more than 433,500 shares worth over $35 million, with a significant portion of her compensation delivered through equity awards.
External policy shifts have also reshaped GM’s operating environment. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. has loosened fuel economy and emissions standards, removed penalties introduced under the previous administration, and renegotiated aspects of its trade relationship with South Korea, a key manufacturing hub for GM. Analysts say these changes favor automakers with strong North American footprints and traditional internal combustion portfolios.
“GM is effectively a regional North American automaker, and we believe it is well positioned to benefit from the relaxed U.S. regulatory environment on emissions and fuel economy,” UBS analyst Joseph Spak said in a Dec. 15 note raising his price target.
At the same time, the broader auto industry has pulled back from aggressive electric vehicle expansion after slower-than-expected demand and pressure on margins. That shift has worked to GM’s advantage. The company has moderated EV spending, prioritized profitability over volume, and leaned on its highly profitable trucks and SUVs, a strategy investors see as pragmatic in the current market.
Taken together, these forces have transformed GM’s standing on Wall Street. Once viewed as a cyclical manufacturer struggling to convince investors of its future relevance, the company is now being priced as a disciplined cash generator with clear strategic priorities. Analyst averages compiled by FactSet currently rate the stock overweight, with a consensus price target of about $80.86.
Overall, GM’s rally tells a broader story about how execution, policy alignment, and capital discipline can converge to reshape investor perception. With guidance pointing to stronger earnings ahead and buybacks set to continue, the company enters 2026 with momentum that few would have predicted just a few years ago.