Half-year Report

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc

("Aston Martin", or "AML", or the "Company"; or the "Group")

Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024

Q2 performance reflects core portfolio transition in line with guidance and strong Specials volumes

Reiterating 2024 guidance, including positive Free Cash Flow in H2'24, and medium-term targets

Significant growth in total ASP and gross margin underpinned by personalisation and Specials

Order book continues to progress with DB12 sold out into 2025; new models launched as planned        

Successful refinancing completed following rating agency upgrades; new upsized RCF established

¹ Number of vehicles including Specials; ² For definition of alternative performance measures please see Appendix 

Lawrence Stroll, Aston Martin Executive Chairman commented:

"As we commence an exciting second half of 2024, Aston Martin is at a pivotal moment in its journey, with our immense product transformation supporting volume growth and sustainable positive free cash flow generation later this year, of which we have full confidence in achieving.

"In line with prior guidance, our execution in the first half of the year focused on the successful delivery of our new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 and we remain on track to deliver a strong second half performance. This will be underpinned by a significant ramp up in wholesale volumes including both the new V12 flagship Vanquish and ultra-exclusive Valiant Special, which we recently unveiled at Goodwood with Fernando Alonso.

"Our high performance products and ultra-luxury brand positioning strategies are creating strong demand amongst a new audience and existing loyal customers. Vantage's extremely positive media reception and reviews position it at the very top of the sports car segment, while the upgraded DBX707 with new interior and state of the art infotainment and the multi-award-winning DB12 underpin the strength of our next generation models. In tandem, Formula One® continues to drive considerable excitement and reappraisal of our brand with new and existing audiences.

"Earlier this year we successfully completed our planned refinancing, securing improved five-year terms following credit rating agency upgrades, and enhancing our liquidity through a new increased RCF provided by our existing lenders. We were also delighted to announce that Adrian Hallmark will become our new Chief Executive Officer. We have today confirmed his appointment will take effect on 1 September 2024, bringing unrivalled experience in both the ultra-luxury and British automotive sectors to further progress delivery of our strategic goals."

Aston Martin's management team will host a video webcast presentation and live Q&A at 8am (BST) today. Details can be found on page 4 of this announcement and online at www.astonmartinlagonda.com/investors

H1 2024 financial summary

·   Delivered core wholesale volumes in line with guidance as portfolio transition continues ahead of significant H2 2024 ramp up in wholesale volumes driven by timing of four new model launches in 2024:

-  H1 2024 wholesale volumes decreased 32% to 1,998 (H1 2023: 2,954) reflecting, as expected, our planned transition to new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 models, with both entering production on track at the end of Q2; Sport/GT volumes largely reflect continued demand for DB12 which is fully sold out into 2025

-  Q2 2024 core wholesale volumes were in line with guidance, supported by strong delivery of 73 Specials (Q2 2023: 20)

§ Total wholesales decreased 38% to 1,053 (Q2 2023: 1,685), while marginally ahead of the previous quarter (Q1 2024: 945) reflecting ongoing portfolio transition ahead of significant ramp up in H2 2024, including launch of the new V12 flagship Vanquish in September and new ultra-exclusive Special, Valiant, which are both progressing as planned.

·     H1 2024 revenue decreased 11% to £603m (H1 2023: £677m) reflecting volume impact of planned portfolio transition ahead of significantly improved financial performance in H2 2024, in addition to foreign exchange headwinds as sterling strengthened against major currencies compared to H1 2023: 

-  Increased Specials volumes driving growth in total ASP:

§ H1 2024 total ASP of £274k, up 29% (H1 2023: £212k)

§ Q2 2024 total ASP of £293k, up 38% (Q2 2023: £212k)

-  Core ASP marginally lower due to prior year periods including higher priced limited edition core vehicles including V12 Vantage Roadster in addition to V12 flagship DBS and DBS 770 Ultimate volumes:

§ H1 2024 core ASP of £180k, down 2% (H1 2023: £184k)

§ Contribution to core revenue from options increased 410 basis points to 18%

§ Q2 2024 core ASP of £183k, down 2% (Q2 2023: £187k); 4% sequential improvement compared to Q1 2024 (£176k) as transition to new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 commences

·    Gross profit remained broadly flat despite volume impact during portfolio transition; gross margin improvement driven by Specials volume and mix in addition to positive momentum in personalisation; progressing towards c. 40% target in FY 2024:

-  H1 2024 gross profit decreased by 1% to £233m (H1 2023: £236m); gross margin improved by 370 basis points to 39% (H1 2023: 35%)

-  Q2 2024 gross profit decreased by 1% to £133m (Q2 2023: £134m); gross margin at 40% (Q2 2023: 35%)

·    H1 2024 adjusted EBITDA¹ was ahead of guidance due to phasing of Specials at £62m (H1 2023: £81m); 23% decrease in adjusted EBITDA and margin of 10% (H1 2023: 12%) reflect lower core volumes during portfolio transition period partially offset by strong delivery of Specials

·     H1 2024 operating loss before tax increased by 14% to £106m (H1 2023: £93m loss) reflecting impact on profitability during planned period of portfolio transition ahead of significant growth in profitability in H2 2024 compared with the prior year period

·    H1 2024 net cash outflow from operating activities of £72m (H1 2023: £18m cash inflow); free cash outflow^[1] of £313m (H1 2023: £218m outflow) reflecting:

-  Q2 free cash outflow of £122m (Q2 2023: £100m outflow), improving sequentially (Q1 2024: £190m outflow) due to improved working capital outflow of £45m (Q1 2024: £74m outflow) and exclusion of cash interest paid (Q1 2024: £43m) due to early payment in Q1 2024 following successful refinancing in March 2024

-  H1 2024 net cash interest paid of £41m (H1 2023: £56m)

-  As expected, capital expenditure of £200m (H1 2023: £180m) focused on development of future product pipeline; expect FY 2024 capital expenditure in line with guidance

-  H1 2024 working capital outflow of £119m (H1 2023: £37m outflow), primarily reflecting the unwinding of customer deposits on delivery of Specials, a trend expected to continue in H2 2024, and the increase in inventories ahead of new core model production, partially offset by a decrease in receivables

·   Total liquidity (cash and available facilities) at 30 June 2024 of £247m (31 March 2024: £395m), reflecting free cash outflow in Q2 ahead of inflection point of positive free cash flow generation in H2 2024

·    Net debt at 30 June 2024 of £1,194m (30 June 2023: £846m) reflects higher gross debt following refinancing in Q1 2024 and lower cash balance; adjusted net leverage ratio of 4.2x (30 June 2023: 4.0x); remain committed to medium-term deleveraging target through disciplined strategic delivery

Outlook remains unchanged as we continue to deliver in line with guidance ahead of significant H2 ramp up in wholesale volumes

We remain confident in the delivery of our FY 2024 financial targets announced at our FY 2023 results on 28 February 2024, as we execute another year of significant strategic and financial progress, completing the product portfolio transformation that will drive future growth. In FY 2024:

·    Enhanced profitability and EBITDA will be driven by high single-digit percentage wholesale volume growth

·    Gross margin further improving to achieve our target of c. 40%

·    EBITDA margin expansion continuing into the low 20s%

Having delivered the new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 as planned, we remain confident in the launch timings of the remaining two new models in 2024 and the ramp up in wholesale volumes in H2'24:

·    Wholesale volumes will be heavily weighted to the second half of the year, resulting in significant H2'24 growth in gross profit and EBITDA compared with the prior year period

·    Q3'24 volume performance expected to materially improve sequentially compared with Q2'24. Q4'24 is expected to be the most material quarter of FY 2024 for both volumes and financial performance

·     Core V12 flagship Vanquish, launching in September, and Valiant, ultra-exclusive Special - deliveries remain on track, scheduled to begin in Q4'24, with the majority delivered by year end

We continue to expect FCF to materially improve in FY 2024 compared with the prior year. The sequential improvement in free cash outflow is expected to continue in Q3'24 to support positive FCF generation in H2 2024. FY 2024 capital investment in new product developments to support our growth strategy remains at c. £350m.

Through disciplined strategic delivery, executing on our portfolio transformation which will drive volume ramp up in H2'24, we expect to deleverage towards our net leverage ratio target of c. 1.5x in FY 2024/25. Following our refinancing in Q1'24, we expect net cash interest of c. £120m in FY 2024[2]. Depreciation and amortisation forecast remains at c. £400m in FY 2024.

The Group's medium-term outlook for FY 2027/28, remains unchanged:

·      Revenue: c. £2.5 billion

·      Gross margin: mid-40s%

·      Adjusted EBITDA: c. £800 million

·      Adjusted EBITDA margin: c. 30%

·      Free cash flow: to be sustainably positive

·      Net leverage ratio: below 1.0x

·      Expect to invest: c. £2bn over FY 2023-2027 in long-term growth and transition to electrification

[1] For definition of alternative performance measures please see Appendix 

[2] Assuming current exchange rates prevail for 2024

The financial information contained herein is unaudited.

All metrics and commentary in this announcement exclude adjusting items unless stated otherwise and certain financial data within this announcement have been rounded.

Enquiries

Investors and Analysts

James Arnold                        Head of Investor Relations                                                +44 (0) 7385 222347

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Ella South                              Investor Relations Analyst                                               +44 (0) 7776 545420

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Media

Kevin Watters                      Director of Communications                                             +44 (0) 7764 386683

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Paul Garbett                         Head of Corporate & Brand Communications                  +44 (0) 7501 380799

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FGS Global

James Leviton and Jenny Bahr                                                                                        +44 (0) 20 7251 3801

Results Presentation

·      There will be a video presentation and Q&A for today at 08.00am BST: https://app.webinar.net/w85pDwAmog0

·      The presentation and Q&A can be accessed live via the corporate website: https://www.astonmartinlagonda.com/investors/results-and-presentations

·      A replay facility will be available on the website later in the day

No representations or warranties, express or implied, are made as to, and no reliance should be placed on, the accuracy, fairness or completeness of the information presented or contained in this release. This release contains certain forward-looking statements, which are based on current assumptions and estimates by the management of Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings plc ("Aston Martin Lagonda"). Past performance cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance and should not be taken as a representation that trends or activities underlying past performance will continue in the future. Such statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any expected future results in forward-looking statements.

These risks may include, for example, changes in the global economic situation, and changes affecting individual markets and exchange rates.

Aston Martin Lagonda provides no guarantee that future development and future results achieved will correspond to the forward-looking statements included here and accepts no liability if they should fail to do so. Aston Martin Lagonda undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements and will not publicly release any revisions that may be made to these forward-looking statements, which may result from events or circumstances arising after the date of this release.

This release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or form part of any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity, nor does it constitute an offer or invitation to buy any securities, in any jurisdiction including the United States, or a recommendation in respect of buying, holding or selling any securities.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Wholesale volume summary

Note: Sport/GT includes Vantage, DB11, DB12, and DBS

Aston Martin's product transformation continued to progress on track during H1 2024 as the Company introduces four new models during the year. In line with guidance, total wholesales of 1,998 decreased by 32% (H1 2023: 2,954), ahead of the significant ramp up in wholesale volumes in H2 2024:

·    Sport/GT wholesales of 1,373 were flat year-on-year (H1 2023: 1,369), with the majority of units representing DB12 wholesales in addition to the initial ramp up phase of new Vantage wholesales in Q2 2024.

·     SUV wholesales of 507 decreased by 67% (H1 2023: 1,547), reflecting a strategic transitional ramp down in prior model volumes as we begin the initial ramp up phase of upgraded DBX707 wholesales in Q2 2024, with all new interiors and bespoke infotainment.

·    Specials wholesales of 118 (H1 2023: 38), comprised of a mature cadence of 45 Aston Martin Valkyries (H1 2023: 38) and Valour deliveries, demonstrating the Company's unique ability to operate at the very highest levels of the luxury automotive segment and attract new customers and collectors to the brand.

As expected, total wholesales of 1,053 in Q2 2024 decreased by 38% compared to Q2 2023, though increased sequentially by 11% compared to Q1 2024 (945 units), due to the ongoing portfolio transition with the new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 both entering production during the period. Aston Martin continues to operate a demand-led approach, aligned with its ultra-luxury high performance strategy. Year to date, retails outpaced wholesales and the Company expects to see this continue in FY 2024 and beyond as its next generation of vehicles are launched.

Geographically, as guided, wholesale volumes across all regions were down compared to H1 2023 due to the product portfolio transition, while remaining well balanced across all regions. The Americas and EMEA excluding UK were the largest regions in H1 2024, collectively representing 66% of total wholesales, primarily driven by strong demand for DB12. UK and APAC wholesales were down, as expected, broadly in line with the overall decline in volumes, reflecting the planned portfolio transition. Finally, the trend in China continued, with volumes decreasing by 72% compared with H1 2023, and now reflecting a very small percentage of total wholesales. This performance was driven by a combination of market dynamics and the timing of new model deliveries, including DB12, which are only due to commence from Q3 2024 onwards. China continues to be a market where we see significant opportunity for long-term growth. Wholesale volumes in APAC excluding China were down 13% year-on-year (H1 2023: down 13%).

Revenue and ASP summary

H1 2024 revenue decreased by 11% to £603m (H1 2023: £677m), reflecting the volume impact of the planned portfolio transition ahead of significant financial performance in H2 2024 driven by the timing of four new model launches this year, in addition to foreign exchange headwinds as sterling strengthened against major currencies compared to the prior year:

·     Total ASP increased reflecting the richer mix resulting from deliveries of Specials including the Aston Martin Valkyrie Spider and Valour limited edition models.

·     Core ASP marginally down reflecting the prior year period mix benefitting from the contribution of V12 Vantage, DBS, DBS 770 Ultimate and higher SUV sales:

-  Continued strong demand for product personalisation drove an increase in contribution to core revenue from options, up 410 basis points to 18% compared to H1 2023, reflecting the launch period of new models.

-  Core ASP in Q2 2024 (£183k) increased sequentially by 4% compared with core ASP in Q1 2024 (£176k), as the transition to new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 models commenced.

Income statement summary

1 Excludes adjusting items; 2 Alternative Performance Measures are defined in Appendix

Despite the lower revenue and volumes in H1 2024, gross profit of £233m was broadly flat, decreasing by £3m, or 1% (H1 2023: £236m), resulting in a gross margin of 39%, expanding by 370 basis points (H1 2023: 35%). The gross margin performance reflected benefits from the ongoing portfolio transformation to next generation models in addition to strong volumes of high margin Specials. This was partially offset by higher manufacturing, logistics and other costs ahead of the significant ramp up in production in H2 2024. The Company continues to target over 40% gross margin from future products, aligned with the Company's ultra-luxury strategy.

Adjusted EBITDA was ahead of guidance at £62m (H1 2023: £81m) decreasing by 23%, with adjusted EBITDA margin declining to 10% (H1 2023: 12%). This was primarily due to the lower core volumes during the transition period and a 10% increase in adjusted operating expenses (excluding D&A), partially offset by higher Special wholesale volumes. While SG&A costs were only marginally higher, this was offset by the phasing of non-capitalised engineering spend, relating mostly to our future electrification strategy.

Adjusted EBIT decreased by 15% in H1 2024 to £(100)m (H1 2023: £(87)m) with depreciation and amortisation broadly flat at £162m (H1 2023: £167m).

Adjusted net financing costs of £88m (H1 2023: £11m), increased primarily due to the year-on-year impact of US dollar debt revaluations, and accelerated amortisation of fees related to prior loan notes as a result of the refinancing. The £22m net adjusting finance charge (H1 2023: £38m) was largely due to movements in fair value of outstanding warrants, and the redemption premiums associated with the refinancing of the senior secured notes.

The adjusted loss before tax of £188m (H1 2023: £98m loss), reflects the lower adjusted EBIT and increased adjusted net finance costs.

On a reported basis, the operating loss of £106m increased 14% in H1 2024 (H1 2023: £93m loss) primarily driven by the volume and gross profit impact as described above. These and the increase in net finance expenses resulted in a loss before tax of £217m (H1 2023: £142m).

Cash flow and net debt summary

Net cash outflow from operating activities was £72m in H1 2024 (H1 2023: £18m inflow). The outflow was primarily driven by a £19m decrease in adjusted EBITDA, as explained above, and a working capital outflow of £119m (H1 2023: £37m outflow). The largest drivers of working capital outflow were:

·      £84m decrease (H1 2023: £17m decrease) in deposits held, due to the increased volume of Specials delivered compared to the prior period, a trend expected to continue in H2 2024,

·      £39m decrease in payables (H1 2023: £9m) following reduction from peak production volumes in Q4 2023,

·      £51m increase in inventories (H1 2023: £33m increase) ahead of the ramp up in new Vantage and upgraded DBX707 production,

·      which was partially offset by a decrease in receivables of £55m (H1 2023: £22m decrease) following collections from wholesales in the prior period from peak sales volumes in Q4 2023.

Capital expenditure of £200m was marginally higher compared to the comparative period (H1 2023: £180m). Investment is focused on the future product pipeline, including the next generation of models and development of the Company's electrification programme.

Free cash outflow of £313m in H1 2024 (H1 2023: £218m outflow), was primarily due to the increase in cash outflow from operating activities as detailed above. Sequentially, free cash outflow improved in Q2 2024 to £122m compared to £190m in Q1 2024, primarily due to the net cash interest payment brought forward to Q1 from the previous Q2 payment date as part of the Company's refinancing exercise and improved working capital outflow. In Q3 2024, this improving trend in free cash outflow is expected to continue, supporting positive FCF generation in H2 2024, in line with guidance.

Compared with 31 December 2023, gross debt increased to £1,367m (31 December 2023: £1,207m) as a result of the refinancing where, following upgrades from leading credit agencies, the Group priced on improved terms senior secured notes of $960m at 10.000% and £400m at 10.375% due in 2029. In addition, existing lenders entered into a new super senior revolving credit facility agreement, increasing their binding commitments by c. £70 million to £170 million. This new facility provides the Company with additional liquidity as it continues to accelerate its growth strategy.

Total cash and available facilities was £247m on 30 June 2024 which decreased compared to 31 March 2024 (£395m), reflecting the guided free cash outflow in Q2 2024. As announced in March 2024, the proceeds from the offering of the notes, together with cash on the balance sheet, were used to redeem in full the existing senior secured notes and second lien split coupon notes, to repay in full the borrowings under the previous revolving credit facility and make the early interest payment in March that was previously due in April 2024.

Net debt of £1,194m at 30 June 2024 increased from £846m as at 30 June 2023 due to the higher gross debt (30 June 2023: £1,246m) and lower cash balance (30 June 2023: £400m). The net leverage ratio of 4.2x (30 June 2023: 4.0x) reflects the EBITDA performance during the portfolio transition period in H1 2024 and the increase in net debt with disciplined strategic delivery and EBITDA growth supporting future deleveraging in line with the Group's medium-term target.

APPENDICES

Dealerships

Alternative Performance Measure

In the reporting of financial information, the Directors have adopted various Alternative Performance Measures ("APMs"). APMs should be considered in addition to IFRS measurements. The Directors believe that these APMs assist in providing useful information on the underlying performance of the Group, enhance the comparability of information between reporting periods, and are used internally by the Directors to measure the Group's performance.

-    Adjusted EBT is the loss before tax and adjusting items as shown on the Consolidated Income Statement

-     Adjusted EBIT is loss from operating activities before adjusting items

-    Adjusted EBITDA removes depreciation, loss/(profit) on sale of fixed assets and amortisation from adjusted operating loss

-      Adjusted operating margin is adjusted EBIT divided by revenue

-      Adjusted EBITDA margin is adjusted EBITDA (as defined above) divided by revenue

-     Adjusted Earnings Per Share is loss after income tax before adjusting items, divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the reporting period

-     Net Debt is current and non-current borrowings in addition to inventory financing arrangements, lease liabilities recognised following the adoption of IFRS 16, less cash and cash equivalents and cash held not available for short-term use

-      Adjusted leverage is represented by the ratio of Net Debt to the last twelve months ('LTM') Adjusted EBITDA

-    Free cashflow is represented by cash (outflow)/inflow from operating activities plus the cash used in investing activities (excluding interest received) plus interest paid in the year less interest received.

Principal risks and uncertainties

The principal risks and uncertainties that could substantially affect the Group's business and results were previously reported on pages 66 to 68 of the 2023 Annual Report and Accounts.  The Group's risk environment has been reassessed as of 30 June 2024 to consider any significant changes to the Group's previous risk assessment including any new and emerging risks and opportunities.

There have not been any significant changes to the principal risks previously disclosed within the 2023 Annual Report and Accounts and the principal risks and uncertainties that the Group faces for the second half of the year are consistent with those previously reported as summarised below.

Strategic risks 

Macro-economic and political instability: Exposure to multiple political and economic factors could impact customer demand or affect the markets in which we operate.

The Group operates in the ultra-luxury segment (ULS) vehicle market and accordingly its performance is linked to market conditions and consumer demand in that market. Sales of ULS vehicles are affected by general economic conditions and can be materially affected by the economic cycle. Demand for luxury goods, including ULS vehicles, is volatile and depends to a large extent on the general economic, political, and social conditions in a given market. Furthermore, economic slowdowns in the past have significantly affected the automotive and related markets. Periods of deteriorating general economic conditions may result in a significant reduction in ULS vehicle sales, which may put downward pressure on the Group's product and service prices and volumes, and negatively affect profitability. These effects may have a more pronounced effect on the Group's business, due to the relatively small scale of its operations and its limited product range.

Political change, such as the recent UK General Election and the subsequent change of Government, has the potential to directly affect the Group through the introduction of new laws (including tax and environmental laws) or regulations or indirectly by altering customer sentiment. Government policy in areas such as vehicle electrification, trade and the environment also have the opportunity to impact the business through the introduction of new barriers, for example in relation to the trade between the United Kingdom and the European Union or through changes in emissions legislation. Any future changes in governments in both the United Kingdom and the Group's key markets could have an impact on the Group due to changes in policy, legislation, or regulatory interpretation.

Brand / reputational damage: Our brand and reputation are critical in securing demand for our vehicles and in developing additional revenue streams.

The Group's success depends on the preservation and enhancement of our brand and reputation with ultra-luxury consumers.  Damage caused by any reason (e.g. poor customer experience, poor design, quality issues, late delivery) could significantly impact our ability to deliver planned volume growth.  We promote brand awareness and identity through our marketing activity, leveraging the global reach of the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One^TM Team.  We continue to pursue our 'build to order' strategy, which combined with the positive impact of our fixed marketing activity is driving brand exclusivity.  Investment in new technology combined with delivery of our three-pillar strategy will further enhance the appeal of the brand and increase our customer base.

Technological advancement: It is essential to maintain pace with technological development to meet evolving customer expectation, remain competitive and stay ahead of regulatory requirements.

To remain competitive the Group needs to incorporate the latest technologies (e.g. electrification, active safety, connected car, autonomous driving) into its products and keep pace with the transition to electrified and lower emission powertrains.  Strategic agreements with key suppliers, including Lucid, Geely and Mercedes Benz AG provide access to technology that may otherwise be too costly to develop internally.

Operational risks 

Talent acquisition and retention: We may fail to attract, retain, engage and develop a productive workforce or develop key talent.

The Group's future success depends substantially on the continued service and performance of the members of its senior management team for running its daily operations, as well as planning and executing its strategy. The Group is also dependent on its ability to retain and replace its design, engineering, and technical personnel so that the Group is able to continue to produce vehicles that are competitive in terms of performance, quality, and aesthetics. There is strong competition worldwide for experienced senior management and personnel with technical and industry expertise. If the Group loses the services of its senior management or other key personnel, the Group may have difficulty and incur additional costs in replacing them. If the Group is unable to find suitable replacements in a timely manner, its ability to realise its strategic objectives could be impaired. In addition, the Group's ability to realise its strategic objectives could also be impaired if the Group is unable to recruit sufficient numbers of new personnel of the right calibre and with the required skills and capabilities to support its strategic objectives.

Programme delivery: Failure to implement major programmes on time, within budget and to the right technical and quality specification could jeopardise delivery of our strategy and have significant adverse financial and reputational consequences.

The Group employ vehicle line Project Management teams to deliver significant programmes using our 'Mission' programme delivery governance methodology. 

Achieving financial and cost-reduction targets: The Group's size and low-volume demand-led strategy may inhibit its ability to deliver targeted cost reductions or work within budget constraints while delivering the planned vehicle programme.

The Group's ability to successfully implement its strategy will depend on, at least in part, its ability to achieve its financial targets as well as to maintain capital expenditures without limiting its ability to introduce new vehicles in line with changes in trends and advances in technology. Market conditions and trends change over time, with current impacts being seen as a result of higher rates of inflation, increasing interest rates, rising commodity prices and the increasing risk of regional or global recession. These may inhibit the Group's ability to achieve these goals, or to achieve them only in part or later than expected, resulting in increased costs, damage to the Aston Martin brand, decreased sales, elevated levels of Group or dealer stocks and / or liquidity constraints, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Group's business, financial condition and results of operations.

Cyber security and IT resilience: Breach of cyber security could result in a system outage, impacting core operations and / or result in a major data loss leading to reputational damage and financial loss.

The increasing threat of cyberattack presents risk to the availability, confidentiality and integrity of information and IT-supported operating systems. A robust technology environment is critical to the Group's success and operational resilience. The Group continues to invest in tools and resources to enhance the control environment and reduce the risk of core business operational disruption or major data loss. The implementation of the new ERP system is ongoing through 2024 and will continue to improve the operational resilience of our IT environment.

Supply chain disruption: Supply chain disruption could result in production stoppages, delays, quality issues and increased costs.

The Group's dependence on a limited number of suppliers exposes the Group to the risk of increased material costs due to suppliers' pricing power, limited availability of scarce resources / components and disrupted delivery schedules, including as a result of the effects of ongoing global supply chain issues, and the risk of the quality of the products produced by that supplier declining. If one or more of the Group's suppliers becomes unable or unwilling to fulfil its delivery obligations, or is unable to supply products of the requisite quality for any reason (including favouring other purchasers due to better pricing or volume, financial difficulties, damage to production, transportation difficulties, labour disruption, supply bottlenecks of raw materials and pre-products, natural disasters, other pandemics, the ongoing war in Ukraine and other wars, terrorism or political unrest), there is a risk that the Group's ability to produce the targeted number or quality of vehicles could be negatively affected, which could adversely affect production and therefore demand for its vehicles.

Compliance risks 

Compliance with laws and regulations: Non-compliance with laws or regulations could damage our corporate reputation and subject the Group to significant financial penalties and / or trading sanctions / restrictions. Non-compliance with product and supply chain due diligence regulations could prevent the Group from competing in certain markets.

The Group is subject to a broad range of national and regional laws and regulations, some of which are specific to the automotive industry e.g. vehicle emissions, fuel consumption, vehicle certification requirements, connected car regulations; others which are applicable to businesses conduct more generally e.g. competition law, health and safety, data protection, corporate governance rules, employment laws, and taxation. Changes to laws and regulations, or a major compliance breach, could have a material impact on the business.  The Group continues to invest in compliance activities, including experienced personnel, and the development of its risk management systems.

Failure to keep pace with increasing stakeholder expectations to not just meet but exceed evolving ESG requirements could result in brand / reputational damage which could ultimately affect our sales pipeline and planned growth. As emissions regulations become increasingly stringent the Group continues to invest in product portfolio expansion to accelerate its transition towards electrified powertrains and reduced emissions. 

Climate Change risks

Climate change: The impact of climate change could significantly impact demand for our vehicles, our ability to sell within certain markets or have financial consequences through increased carbon pricing, taxes and other regulatory restrictions on Internal Combustion Engine vehicles.

The Group faces a number of transition and physical climate related risks. Transitioning to a lower-carbon economy poses the most significant climate related risk with the Group being exposed to:

•       Policy and legal risk: Capital and operating expenses required in order to comply with environmental laws and regulations can be significant. New policy actions and / or legislative changes relating to environmental matters, such as the implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms to reduce GHG emissions or the imposition of more stringent vehicle emissions regulations, could give rise to significant costs.

•           Technology risk: New technologies that support the transition to lower-carbon, energy-efficient economic system, including the increasing demand for lower emission vehicles and electrified powertrains, could have a significant impact on the Group. The Group may be unable to develop lower capacity and fully electric vehicles successfully, or as quickly as its competitors or at a reasonable cost.

•         Market risk: Customer preferences may change more quickly than anticipated away from traditional ICEs towards alternative non-ICE powertrains (e.g. plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, Hydrogen, Synthetic fuels). This could significantly affect demand for the Group's products. Increasing consumer awareness around sustainability and the resultant desire to buy products which use sustainable materials may adversely impact demand for the Group's products.

•           Reputation risk: Customers and communities are increasingly concerned with an organisation's contribution to or detraction from the transition to a lower-carbon economy. If the Group does not deliver on its net-zero goals, sustainability targets, the production of hybrid and battery electric models or does not otherwise demonstrate its commitment to reducing its impact on climate change, this could have a material adverse effect on the Group.

Physical risks resulting from climate change can be event driven (such as an extreme weather event) or longer-term shifts in climate patterns (such as global warming). Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events could lead to damage to assets and / or facilities or lead to production or supply chain disruption. In each case, this could have a material adverse effect on the Group's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Financial risks

Liquidity: The Group may not be able to generate sufficient cash to fund its capital expenditure, service its debt or sustain its operations.

The Group's significant leverage and existing levels of debt may make it difficult to obtain additional debt financing should the need arise due to unforeseen economic shocks. Failure to collect planned deposits could place additional stress on the Group's liquidity. The Group's liquidity requirements arise primarily from its need to fund capital expenditure for product development, including the electrification of its product portfolio, and to service debt.  The Group is also subject to foreign exchange risks and opportunities and manages its exposure in accordance with the Group Hedging Policy.

Impairment of capitalised development costs: The value of capitalised development costs continue to grow as we invest in and expand our product portfolio.

The Group's balance sheet and income statement may be adversely impacted by an impairment in the carrying value of capitalised development costs. A significant reduction in vehicle lifecycle profitability could result in the need to impair the capitalised development intangible asset.  Where potential impairment triggers are identified management perform assessments to evaluate the recoverability of capitalised development costs.

The risks and opportunities summarised above, linkage to the Group's strategy, and additional mitigating actions taken in respect of them, are explained and described in more detail on pages 66 to 68 of the 2023 Annual Report and Accounts.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

*    Adjusting items are detailed in note 4.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY

*    Detail on the restatement is disclosed in note 2.

*    Detail on the restatement is disclosed in note 2.

*    Detail on the restatement is disclosed in note 2.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS