Is NOW the time for me to purchase Aston Martin shares?

The Aston Martin Lagonda (LSE:AML) share worth continues to race greater. It soared following the discharge of encouraging full-year financials in midweek enterprise. And it has posted extra positive factors on Thursday — the luxurious carmaker is at the moment 6% greater on the day.

At 220p per share, Aston Martin shares are buying and selling at eight-month highs. However can James Bond’s favorite carmaker proceed its current restoration? And may I purchase the enterprise for my funding portfolio immediately?

Financially stronger

To recap, on Wednesday the corporate introduced a 26% enchancment in revenues in 2022. At £1.38bn, gross sales had been propelled by a powerful finish to the yr as fourth-quarter turnover leapt 46%.

On the adverse aspect, pre-tax losses surged to £495m final yr from £213.8m in 2021. This was brought on by higher-than-normal price inflation and heavy funding in model, advertising and marketing, and product launches.

However on the entire this newest replace has given Aston Martin’s beleaguered traders extra to cheer than choose holes in. The agency ended 2022 with a money steadiness of £583.3m, up greater than £164m yr on yr due to capital raised from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund final autumn.

Worries over Aston’s monetary place have lengthy dogged the corporate. So information that internet debt additionally dropped, to £765.5m from £891.6m, offered additional trigger for celebration.

Sound technique

No-one has ever doubted the distinctive model energy of Aston Martin’s automobiles. What’s been occurring beneath the hood of the premium motor maker is what has involved traders.

Wednesday’s replace, then, has boosted hopes that the enterprise is lastly on the mend. Encouragingly, there are clues that administration’s determination to double-down on the ‘ultra-luxury’ finish of the market can also be paying off handsomely.

The agency says that 80% of its GT/Sports activities vary is bought out for 2023. It bought 6,412 automobiles final yr and expects wholesale volumes to enhance to round 7,000 this yr.

Spending amongst excessive internet price customers stays largely unaffected by financial downturns. In truth their urge for food stays robust throughout these intervals even when costs of their favorite items are hiked. Aston Martin’s improved gross margins final yr (which rose 2 share factors to 33% on the again of improved pricing) is proof of this.

Right here’s what I’m doing now

I like restoration play. And I’ll be maintaining my eye on Aston Martin. However in the interim I’m not glad to spend money on the carmaker simply but.

Analyst Sophie Lund-Yates of Hargreaves Lansdown has summed up my view on the carmaker in a nutshell. She feedback that “Aston Martin has a revered product providing however there are many monetary plugs that want filling. Till that occurs additional capital raises can’t be solely dominated out, regardless of the £654m fairness capital elevate undertaken final yr.”

There have been various false dawns on the enterprise in recent times. But share placings have remained a relentless headache for its shareholders in that point. Vital money burn stays a menace and the enterprise nonetheless has lots of debt on its books.

Provide chain points and excessive inflation stay an issue. And the enterprise has to compete laborious in a crowded market to hit its gross sales targets. On steadiness, I imagine Aston Martin shares nonetheless carry an excessive amount of funding danger.