Even James Bond always ends up relying on someone, or someone. Aston Martin has regained its luster, but the British manufacturer of luxury cars dear to the secret agent has still been thinking of finding a shoulder, by the end of the year perhaps.
“We are building a company that can survive by selling at a high price between 7,000 and 14,000 highly profitable cars, but only if we have partnerships,” confirmed Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer Monday night on BloombergTV. . “If a big brother helps us, it can even become very profitable,” he added.
All options are still on the table – these would be evaluated by Lazard’s investment bankers. There is first the solution of the IPO. Then there is the sale to a major builder, a formula favored by direct competitors.
Thus, Lamborghini is part of the Volkswagen empire, Lotus was bought by the Chinese group Geely stirring, and Ferrari remains close to Fiat-Chrysler. The valuation of Aston Martin would be around five billion pounds (5.7 billion euros), and the two options can be combined.
flipping
Whatever happens, it’s the right timing for Aston Martin. The manufacturer of the DB11 has finally recovered colors. Last year he signed his first profit since 2010 (87 million pounds) and his best sales for nine years (5.098 units). As to turnover876 million pounds is simply an absolute record.
Aston Martin should continue on track, with two new models approaching and the opening in 2019 of a plant dedicated to the future SUV DBX in Wales, which would bring the production capacity of the group to 14,000 vehicles per year.
“The reversal is done. Now it’s a growth story, “says Andy Palmer, who wants to find new funding to stay in the technological and industrial race.
Charge now rests with shareholders to decide. Aston Martin’s capital is 90% owned by the Kuwaiti fund Investment Dar and the Italian investor Investindustrial. Germany’s Daimler-Mercedes owns 5% of the shares and supplies the British with its engines and electric harnesses. Dieter Zetsche, the boss of the German group, will he want to become a “big brother”? That’s the question.