Volvo, an Early Electric Car Adopter, Cuts off Funding for EV Affiliate Polestar — 3rd Update

By Dominic Chopping

STOCKHOLM--Volvo Car said it won't provide further funding to Polestar, the electric-car maker it created with Volvo's Chinese owner Geely--the latest EV retrenchment by the global auto industry.

The auto industry's pivot to electric vehicles has been rocked by setbacks this year, just as a flood of new battery-powered models is hitting showrooms.

Earlier this week, French automaker Renault said it has decided to cancel the initial public offering of its electric-car unit Ampere. Ford, meanwhile, has slashed production of its electric F-150 Lightning, a pickup truck that has generated major buzz since its launch. Rental-car firm Hertz has said it was dumping about one-third of its EV rental car fleet, replacing the cars with gas-engine vehicles.

Also earlier this week, Tesla--the world's most valuable automaker--warned of notably lower growth this year. Data earlier this year has shown a slowdown in EV sales growth in the U.S., automakers delaying or cutting back on plans and anxiety rising among dealership owners.

In a sign of investor unease about automakers' march toward an EV future, Volvo shares surged more than 20% Thursday on its decision to cut off funding to Polestar.

Volvo and Geely founded Polestar as a stand-alone EV maker, separate from Volvo's substantial in-house effort to go electric. Through a special-purpose acquisition company merger, the two listed it on Nasdaq in 2022. Polestar shares have fallen 83% since then.

Analysts have highlighted how Volvo's 48% stake in Polestar has been a drag on its resources, with the company struggling with losses amid the slow consumer uptake of electric vehicles and the increasingly competitive market, tapping Volvo for around $1 billion in financing while the company works through a turnaround plan.

The company's Polestar stake impaired its group EPS by around 1.9 Swedish kronor (18 cents) in 2023, UBS analyst David Lesne said in a note. This compares to Volvo Car group EPS of SEK4.4 for the year.

Volvo said Thursday it will extend the repayment period for the existing convertible loan by 18 months to the end of 2028. But it said it would be concentrating its financial resources on Volvo's own needs from now on.

The company said it was also evaluating a potential adjustment to its shareholding in Polestar, including a possible distribution of shares to Volvo Cars' shareholders, including Geely.

If it decides to distribute its stake to shareholders, Geely would become a significant new shareholder.

The Chinese auto group said in a statement that it will continue to provide full operational and financial support to Polestar as an independent exclusive brand going forward. That support wouldn't require a reduction of its shareholding in Volvo Car, it added.

Volvo Car Chief Executive, Jim Rowan, said on a call after outlining the news that a separation from Polestar is a natural evolution and that now is the right time to consider reducing its shareholding, and for Polestar to look for alternative funding.

Meanwhile, Volvo posted a rise in fourth-quarter revenue, driven by higher volumes and said it expects the growth rate in retail sales to increase this year as long as there are no major disruptions.

Net profit attributable to shareholders rose to 3.11 billion Swedish kronor ($299.2 million) from SEK2.46 billion a year earlier, as revenue rose 4% to SEK109.44 billion.

Analysts polled by FactSet had projected a net profit of SEK4 billion on revenue of SEK108.35 billion.

"We remain firm on our ambition to report an EBIT margin above 8% for 2026, and now do so based on expected revenues between SEK550 billion-SEK600 billion," Rowan said.

"By the end of 2026, this calculates to a revenue compound annual growth rate of 11%-15% from 2023 to 2026."

In terms of total 2024 retail deliveries, Volvo aims for a higher year-over-year growth rate than in 2023.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 01, 2024 06:33 ET (11:33 GMT)

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