Delphi raises outlook as US car sales accelerate Delphi, the auto components maker, increased its forecast for full-year net income on Wednesday as US car sales showed double-digit annual growth, driven by pick-up truck sales. Delphi, one of the world's largest car parts makers by revenues, increased its adjusted net earnings per share forecast from a range of $4.12 to $4.38 per share to $4.15 to $4.41, despite a 19 per cent fall in first-quarter net income to $276m. It was assuming worldwide car sales growth for the year of 2 per cent, despite a projected 5 per cent decline in sales in Europe, it said. IN Automobiles The US car industry continued to grow far faster than the global sector, meanwhile. Ford, the second-biggest US manufacturer by sales, reported an 18 per cent rise in April sales compared with the previous year, with cars up 21 per cent and utility vehicles and pick-up trucks both up 16 per cent. General Motors, the US's largest manufacturer by sales, said April sales rose 11.4 per cent, while Chrysler, the market number three, said its US sales were up 11 per cent last month. The three big domestic carmakers outpaced wider US car sales growth, which includes sales by foreign manufacturers, partly because of strong demand for pick-up trucks. The month's seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales appeared set to reach 15m vehicles, a 4 per cent increase on the April 2012 figure. Kurt McNeil, GM's vice-president of US sales operations, said car-buying conditions were strong and would continue to release pent-up demand. "We're very optimistic because GM's market share is growing, the economy continues to move forward and important car and truck launches are just getting under way," he said. Ken Czubay, Ford's vice-president of US marketing, sales and service, said the company was working "harder than ever" to keep pace with demand for new versions of its Fusion sedan and Escape sports utility vehicles. Fusion sales were up 23.7 per cent on last April, while Escape sales rose 52 per cent. The company's F-series pickup trucks - whose sales gained 24.4 per cent - continued to "build on their momentum" as the housing and construction industries rebounded, he added. Pick-up trucks also boosted Chrysler, which is controlled by Italy's Fiat. Its Ram trucks recorded a 49 per cent increase in US sales in April over last year. Delphi's first-quarter figures were dragged down by $60m of costs for acquisitions, restructurings and debt retirement. Excluding those charges, net income would have declined 2.9 per cent to $336m. Sales fell 1.7 per cent to $4.02bn. GM's shares fell 1 cent to $30.83 on Wednesday morning, while Ford's fell 1.25 per cent to $13.44. Delphi's shares fell 2.49 per cent to $45.06.