The financial first quarter of 2018 is over and the results continue to come in from various industries, including automakers. And one automaker in particular continues to stand out, Aston Martin. The iconic UK company has just announced a 3 percent rise in first-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization. In short, this represents a profit margin of 24 percent on revenues of 185.4 million GBP (roughly $249.3 million). From the beginning of the year through March 31, Aston Martin earned pre-tax profits of 2.8 million GBP, which can be attributed to one main factor:
Soaring demand for the new DB11 twin-turbo V8 and DB11 Volante. Only a couple of days ago did the first all-new Vantage roll off the assembly line, so future profits are looking extremely bright as well. But it’s not just the new Vantage that’ll be bringing home the dough. Over the next few years, Aston Martin will launch the world’s first luxury brand with a lineup consisting of all-electric vehicles. The Lagonda Vision Concept, shown last March at Geneva, was just a preview. To breakdown Aston Martin’s early 2018 sales figures, a total of 963 units were sold, compared to 1,203 during the same period in 2017. Why the slight drop?
Because dealership inventories of older models were sold off while factory work was being done in order to prepare for the launch of the DB11 Volante, Vantage and the also upcoming DBS Superleggera, the successor to the outgoing Vanquish. Already for 2018, the order books have exceeded overall production capacity. Furthermore, the wholesale price per vehicle increased by 11 percent to 160,000 GBP ($215,000) due to customers selecting more options. As part of the company’s Second Century Plan, total product investment has increased to over $91 million, up from about $62 million in the first quarter of 2017.
This can be attributed to increased R&D spending as well as the construction of its new factory in Wales. Given everything, Aston Martin certainly sounds like it’s never been in better financial shape. No wonder it’s been considering an initial public offering (IPO), and we wouldn’t be surprised to see this happen in the very near future.
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