Polestar secures USD 1 billion external funding; business outlook confirmed
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Insights
The announcement of Polestar securing USD 950 million in external funding is a significant development for the company and its stakeholders. This capital infusion is likely to bolster the company's financial stability and fund its strategic initiatives, including the production ramp-up of its new SUV models. The automotive industry, particularly the electric vehicle sector, is capital-intensive and such a sizeable investment can accelerate Polestar's growth trajectory and enhance its competitive positioning.
Furthermore, the involvement of global banks such as BNP Paribas, Natixis and Standard Chartered indicates strong institutional confidence in Polestar's business model and future prospects. The efficiency program, which includes job cuts, suggests a strategic move towards optimizing operations and reducing costs, potentially leading to improved margins and profitability in the long run. The targeted annual volume of over 155,000 units and a gross margin in the high teens by 2025 are ambitious but reflect the company's commitment to scaling its operations and achieving financial sustainability.
From a financial perspective, the secured funding and the efficiency measures undertaken by Polestar provide a clearer path towards the company's cash flow break-even target by 2025. The cash position of USD 770 million as of December 31, 2023, coupled with the new funding, should provide sufficient liquidity for the company's short-term operational needs and investment in product development.
The anticipated volume growth and double-digit gross profit margin by the end of 2024, primarily driven by the new SUVs, could lead to a significant improvement in the company's financial health. Investors should monitor the progress of the SUVs' production and distribution as they are critical to the company's revenue growth. However, the preliminary nature of the unaudited financial and operational results calls for cautious interpretation until the final audited results are available.
The strategic focus on SUVs by Polestar aligns with current market trends, as SUVs are among the fastest-growing segments in the automotive industry. The global rollout of these high-margin vehicles is a tactical move to capture market share in a lucrative sector. The commencement of Polestar 3 production in China and test runs in South Carolina, USA, indicate a strategic geographic expansion to cater to major markets. The prototype production of Polestar 5, a performance GT, suggests that the company is also aiming to diversify its product portfolio and cater to different customer segments.
The new shareholder structure, with Geely Sweden Holdings becoming the second-largest shareholder, is likely to provide additional operational stability and access to Geely's technological and engineering resources. This synergy could be a crucial factor in Polestar's ability to innovate and compete effectively in the global electric vehicle market.
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USD 950 million external funding secured - Geely Sweden Holdings intends to participate in future financing activities when required
- Richer product mix: global roll-out of two new SUVs to drive significant volume and profit margin progression expected in second half of the year
- Efficiency program delivers results
Polestar lineup including Polestar 2, Polestar 3, Polestar 4, Polestar 5. (Photo: Polestar)
The financing is being provided by 12 leading international banks including BNP Paribas, Natixis, Standard Chartered, BBVA, HSBC and SPDB, in the form of a three-year loan facility. It provides Polestar with the funds it requires to finance the next stage of its development and covers a large majority of its estimated financing needs. Cash on the balance sheet as at 31 December 2023 was approximately
Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, says: “Securing funding from a syndicate of global banks reflects our partners’ support for Polestar’s growth course. Together with Geely’s full financial support and access to innovative technology and engineering expertise, we have reinforced our path towards cash flow break-even targeted in 2025.”
Daniel Li, Geely Holding Group CEO and Polestar Board Member, says: “As a strategic partner and direct shareholder in Polestar, Geely will continue to provide full operational and financial support to the iconic performance car brand going forward. We will retain our shares in Polestar and intend to participate in future financing activities when required. Polestar will have full access to technologies and engineering expertise from Geely Holding to realise its global growth targets.”
Delivering on our strengthened business plan
The financing that has now been agreed will be accompanied by a comprehensive efficiency program from Polestar. Among other measures, 10 percent of jobs have been cut since mid-2023, with a further 15 percent to follow this year.
Polestar has thus made significant progress on its strengthened business plan and 2025 targets: achieving cash flow break-even, annual volume of over 155,000 and a gross margin in the high teens.
At the same time, Polestar was able to expand its model range with two high-margin SUVs. The Polestar 4 sales are accelerating around the world, Polestar 3 has now started production in
Finally, in addition to the secured
“This marks a new phase in Polestar’s business,” says Thomas Ingenlath. “The efforts of recent years are paying off: We improved our cost basis, secured financing and are ramping up our product offensive. Both SUVs now sharpen the brand, target one of the fastest growing segments in the industry and position us for strong volume growth and profit margin progression from the second half of 2024,” he adds.
Outlook
At the end of this year, Polestar expects volume growth that supports the 2025 volume target and a double-digit gross profit margin. Volume and margin progression are expected to be weighted towards the second half of 2024, as the two SUVs reach full production and global distribution.
Publication of full-year 2023 results and conference call
Polestar is adjusting the release date for the preliminary unaudited financial and operational results for the full year 2023 to a later date. This will allow the Company time to complete the first year of compliance required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
Polestar management will hold a live audio webcast tomorrow, February 29, 2024 at 08:00 ET (14:00 CET) to discuss the Company’s business and outlook update. The live webcast will be available at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/6p89czud/.
Following the completion of the call, a replay will be available shortly at https://investors.polestar.com.
Ends
Notes to editors
Polestar’s three-year loan facility involves 12 banks, with BNP Paribas, Natixis and Standard Chartered leading the transaction and BBVA, HSBC, and SPDB acting as Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners.
Statement Regarding Preliminary Unaudited Financial and Operational Results
The unaudited financial and operational information published in this press release is preliminary and subject to potential adjustments. Potential adjustments to operational and consolidated financial information may be identified from work performed during Polestar’s year-end audit. This could result in differences from the unaudited operational and financial information published herein. For the avoidance of doubt, the preliminary unaudited operational and financial information published in this press release should not be considered a substitute for the financial information to be filed with the SEC in Polestar’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023.
About Polestar
Polestar (Nasdaq: PSNY) is the Swedish electric performance car brand determined to improve society by using design and technology to accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. Headquartered in
Polestar plans to have a line-up of five performance EVs by 2026. Polestar 2, the electric performance fastback, launched in 2019. Polestar 3, the SUV for the electric age, launched in late 2022. Polestar 4, the SUV coupé transformed, is launching in phases through 2023 and into 2024. Polestar 5, an electric four-door GT and Polestar 6, an electric roadster, are coming soon.
The Polestar 0 project supports the company’s ambitious goal of creating a truly climate-neutral production car by 2030. The research initiative also aims to create a sense of urgency to act on the climate crisis, by challenging employees, suppliers and the wider automotive industry, to drive towards zero.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release (“Press Release”) may be considered “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or the future financial or operating performance of Polestar including the number of vehicle deliveries and gross margin. For example, projections of revenue, volumes, margins, cash flow break-even and other financial or operating metrics and statements regarding expectations of future needs for funding and plans related thereto are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential”, “forecast”, “plan”, “seek”, “future”, “propose” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Polestar and its management, as the case may be, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: (1) Polestar’s ability to maintain agreements or partnerships with its strategic partners, such as Volvo Cars, Geely or Xingji Meizu Group, and to develop new agreements or partnerships; (2) Polestar’s ability to maintain relationships with its existing suppliers, source new suppliers for its critical components and enter into longer term supply contracts and complete building out its supply chain, while effectively managing the risks due to such relationships; (3) Polestar’s reliance on its partnerships with vehicle charging networks to provide charging solutions for its vehicles and its reliance on strategic partners for servicing its vehicles and their integrated software; (4) Polestar’s reliance on its partners, some of which may have limited experience with electric vehicles, to manufacture vehicles at a high volume or develop devices, products, apps or operating systems for Polestar, and to allocate sufficient production capacity or resources to Polestar in order for Polestar to be able to increase its vehicle production capacities and product offerings; (5) the ability of Polestar to grow and manage growth profitably including expectations of growth and financial performance by generating expected revenues at expected selling prices, maintain relationships with customers and retain its management and key employees; (6) Polestar’s estimates of expenses, profitability, gross margin, cash flow, and cash reserves; (7) increases in costs, disruption of supply or shortage of materials, in particular for lithium-ion cells or semiconductors; (8) the possibility that Polestar may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (9) the effects of competition and the high barriers to entry in the automotive industry, and the pace and depth of electric vehicle adoption generally on Polestar’s future business; (10) changes in regulatory requirements, governmental incentives and fuel and energy prices; (11) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Polestar or others, adverse results from litigation, governmental investigations or audits, or tax-related proceedings or audits; (12) the ability to meet stock exchange listing standards; (13) changes in applicable laws or regulations or governmental incentive programs; (14) Polestar’s ability to establish its brand and capture additional market share, (15) the risks associated with negative press or reputational harm, including from lithium-ion battery cells catching fire or venting smoke; (65) delays in the design, development, manufacture, launch and financing of Polestar’s vehicles and other product offerings, and Polestar’s reliance on a limited number of vehicle models to generate revenues; (16) Polestar’s ability to continuously and rapidly innovate, develop and market new products; (17) risks related to future market adoption of Polestar’s offerings; (18) risks related to Polestar’s distribution model; (19) the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, interest rate changes, the ongoing conflict between
Nothing in this Press Release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Polestar assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future, except as may be required by law.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240228093729/en/
Bojana Flint
Investor Relations
bojana.flint@polestar.com
Theo Kjellberg
Corporate PR
Theo.kjellberg@polestar.com
Tanya Ridd
Global Head of Communications & PR
tanya.ridd@polestar.com
Source: Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC
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