Ford shares are being quietly accumulated by Bill Ford, who is doubling down on his control of the family business.

• Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Ford Motor Company's founder, has been gradually accumulating more control over the automaker established in 1903.
• As the largest individual shareholder of Ford's common stock, he owns 2.3 million shares in the company.
• He currently owns 23% of the Class B shares, which is four times the 5.7% he owned in 2012, as per FactSet.

In Detroit, Bill Ford, the grandson of the car company's founder, has been gradually acquiring more shares and control over the family business established in 1903.

Unlike other CEOs who have sold their company stock as prices rise, Ford has been investing more in his company over the past ten years.

The 64-year-old holds the largest number of shares in Ford's common stock, with 2.3 million shares. However, he also holds the most significant stake in the company's Class B shares, which grant super-voting powers and have allowed the Ford family to maintain control over the company. Despite accounting for only 2% of Ford's outstanding stock, the Class B shares give their holder 40% of the voting power.

Bill Ford owns 23% of the Class B shares, which are exclusive to family members, quadrupling his ownership from 5.7% in 2012, according to FactSet.

In 2021, CEOs, founders, and other company insiders sold a record-breaking $69 billion in stock, driven by looming tax hikes and high share prices. Bill Ford, who has grown his stake through his work as chair of the board, is holding onto his shares due to his confidence in Ford's management team, led by CEO Jim Farley, to execute their Ford+ turnaround plan focusing on electric and connected vehicles. Ford paid Bill Ford $16 million in total compensation in 2020, which included benefits, cash, and equity awards.

Last month, Ford bought 412,500 more Class B shares, which are being held in a family trust. This move was made about a week after he bought almost 2 million common shares by exercising stock options, some of which were set to expire.

Instead of selling the options for $18 million like most executives do, Ford paid $20.5 million in cash and taxes on the gains to keep the shares.

Ford stated on CNBC that he believes the company is well-positioned to provide exceptional returns to shareholders and he personally wanted to contribute to this success. He added that the company has an opportunity to generate the most value for shareholders since the Model T's scaling.

EVs

Since taking over as CEO in October 2020, Farley has regained investor confidence, resulting in a 270% increase in the automaker's stock value. This surge has propelled Ford's market value above $100 billion for the first time ever, marking the first year since 2001 that its stock has surpassed $20 a share.

The market value of Ford is now more than that of its crosstown rival, which is valued at approximately $90 billion.

Under Farley's Ford+ plan, the company is shifting its focus to electric vehicles (EVs) with the Mustang Mach E and all-electric Ford F-150, as well as connected services to generate recurring revenue. The company anticipates an 8% adjusted profit margin before interest and taxes in 2023, which is earlier than many analysts predicted.

Ford stated that the order banks for the Mach-E and Lightning models were overwhelming, but the company's focus on electrification goes beyond just the vehicles. It also involves developing services and connecting with customers.

Family shares

As of Thursday's closing price, Ford directly owns approximately 20.3 million shares, worth more than $500 million, including restricted, common, and Class B stock.

The Ford family's voting power decreases when their Class B shares fall below approximately 60.8 million, which is worth about $1.8 billion and held by descendants of company founder Henry Ford.

The dual-share system has been criticized for giving the family too much control over the automaker. Ford has consistently defended the system, arguing that it enables the company to focus more on the long term and avoid becoming just another "faceless corporation."

He emphasized the significance of preserving the family legacy, stating, "It provides us with a distinctive identity and perhaps a sense of humanity that many other corporations lack."

Since the company's public debut in 1956, the dual-class stock structure has been subject to various shareholder challenges. At the 2020 shareholders meeting, 36.3% of voters backed a proposal that granted every share an equal vote, which was slightly higher than the 35.3% average since 2013.

Ford maintains that his ownership of Ford stock bolsters his defense of the family's shares and voting power. Ford stated that he cannot recall ever selling Ford shares in the open market, although this does not include exercising options, transferring shares to trusts, or converting common shares to Class B stock.

I am committed to this journey for the long term. This is my life and I am passionate about the company," he stated. "I strongly believe that our future will be remarkable.

– CNBC’s Robert Frank contributed to this report.

Ford's stock closed at $25.02 on Thursday.