Aston Martin annual losses narrow as prices hit record levels

ASTON Martin’s annual losses more than halved in 2023, coming in smaller than market expectations, after selling prices reached record levels as the British luxury carmaker delivered its Valkyrie models and other special edition cars.

Shares in the London-listed company opened higher on Wednesday (Feb 28), but reversed gains to fall about 2.8 per cent by 0913 GMT as investors fretted over the carmaker’s cash flow and volumes.

Gaydon-based Aston Martin had hoped to turn free cash flow positive in the fourth quarter of last year, but was hit by the timing of deliveries of its DB12 and Valour models.

It now expects positive cash generation in the second half of this year.

“Aston Martin is pumping reams of cash into marketing in a bid to help position itself at the ultra-luxury end of the spectrum. This pivot was never going to come cheap,” said Hargreaves analyst Sophie Lund-Yates.

Fictional secret agent James Bond’s car brand of choice, Aston Martin has had a tough time since its market debut in 2018.

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However, top shareholder and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll has been trying to bolster its cash and margins by rolling out next-generation sports cars – the latest of which was the new Vantage sports model unveiled this month.

Aston Martin kept its near- and medium-term forecasts unchanged.

“While recognising the ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility and associated inflationary and supply chain uncertainties, our world-class teams continue to collaborate with our partners, seeking to minimise potential impacts on our operations,” the company said in a statement.

Aston Martin reported an adjusted pretax loss of £171.8 million (S$292.4 million) for the year ended Dec 31, compared with £451 million a year earlier.

Analysts, on average, were expecting an adjusted pre-tax loss of £209 million, according to a company-compiled consensus. REUTERS