The Luxury Carmaker Releases Profit Warning Amid US Tariff Pressures and Requests Government Support
The automaker has attributed a profit warning to Donald Trump's trade duties, while simultaneously urging the UK government for greater proactive support.
The company, which builds its cars in factories across England and Wales, revised its earnings forecast on Monday, representing the second such revision this year. The firm expects a larger loss than the earlier estimated £110 million deficit.
Seeking Official Backing
The carmaker expressed frustration with the British leadership, telling shareholders that despite having communicated with officials on both sides, it had positive discussions with the US administration but required greater initiative from UK ministers.
The company called on British authorities to safeguard the needs of niche automakers like Aston Martin, which create thousands of jobs and contribute to regional finances and the wider British car industry network.
International Commerce Effects
The US President has shaken the global economy with a trade war this year, significantly affecting the automotive industry through the imposition of a 25 percent duty on April 3, on top of an existing 2.5% levy.
During May, American and British leaders reached a deal to cap duties on one hundred thousand UK-built vehicles annually to 10%. This rate came into force on June 30, aligning with the final day of the company's second financial quarter.
Trade Deal Concerns
Nonetheless, Aston Martin criticised the trade deal, stating that the implementation of a US tariff quota mechanism introduces further complexity and restricts the group's capacity to accurately forecast financial performance for this financial year end and possibly quarterly from 2026 onwards.
Additional Challenges
Aston Martin also cited weaker demand partially because of greater likelihood for supply chain pressures, especially following a recent cyber incident at a leading British car producer.
UK automotive sector has been rattled this year by a cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover, which prompted a production freeze.
Market Response
Stock in the company, listed on the London Stock Exchange, dropped by over 11 percent as trading opened on Monday at the start of the week before partially rebounding to be down 7%.
The group sold 1,430 cars in its Q3, missing earlier projections of being roughly equal to the one thousand six hundred forty-one cars delivered in the equivalent quarter last year.
Future Plans
The wobble in demand comes as the manufacturer prepares to launch its Valhalla, a rear-engine supercar priced at around $1 million, which it expects will boost profits. Deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to start in the last quarter of its fiscal year, though a projection of about 150 units in those three months was below earlier estimates, reflecting engineering delays.
Aston Martin, well-known for its roles in the 007 movie series, has started a review of its future cost and spending plans, which it indicated would likely lead to reduced capital investment in engineering and development versus earlier forecasts of approximately £2 billion between its 2025 and 2029 fiscal years.
Aston Martin also told investors that it no longer expects to generate profitable cash generation for the latter six months of its current year.
The government was approached for a statement.