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Polestar’s future growth and financial performance are dependent on it meeting its ability to generate positive cash flow from its operations and to raise the necessary capital to fund its business plan and service its debt obligations.
If Polestar is unable to raise additional funds through equity and debt financings, or other means when needed, it may be required to delay, limit, reduce, or, in the worst case, discontinue the production and sale of its vehicles as well as research and development and commercialization efforts and may not be able to fund continuing operations, all of which could adversely impact Polestar’s business, results of operation and financial condition. Polestar has in the past and expects to continue to accumulate a deficit on both a cash and IFRS basis until at least 2025. After giving effect to the $200 million increase in available borrowings under the credit facility with Volvo Cars and entry into the new $250 million credit facility with Geely Sweden Automotive Investment AB and existing financing and liquidity support from Geely Holding and Volvo Cars, Polestar estimates that approximately $1.3 billion in incremental external funding will be required to fund its current business plan through the end of fiscal year 2025. As a result of these cash requirements, Polestar will need to obtain additional financing and intends to do so through a combination of equity and debt financings, or other means. To the extent Polestar raises additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of its shareholders may be diluted, and the terms of such securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of its existing shareholders. Debt financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting Polestar’s ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making capital expenditures, or declaring dividends. Any financing arrangements may require the payment of higher interest or preferred dividends, which will impact cash retention. If Polestar is unable to raise additional funds through equity and debt financings, or other means when needed, it may be required to delay, limit, reduce, or, in the worst case, discontinue the production and sale of its vehicles, as well as related research and development and commercialization efforts, and may not be able to fund continuing operations, all of which could have a material adverse effect on Polestar’s business, results of operations and financial condition. There can be no assurance that Polestar will be able to raise the additional funding it expects to need on commercially attractive terms, or at all.
Polestar’s future growth and financial performance envisions Polestar introducing and growing additional revenue streams, including those relating to used car sales, aftermarket sales/services, technology licensing and revenue from financing. For example, Polestar is cooperating with Volvo Cars to develop their service center network, including the introduction of digital service booking, fault tracing, diagnostics and software download (Over-the-Air and in workshop). If Polestar fails to realize revenue from these possible additions to its business or fails to realize such revenue at the expected levels, its cash flows and profitability may be negatively impacted.
Although it has taken initiatives to reduce its expenditures and optimize its supply chain and cost structure and increase its cash flow, these initiatives are dependent on certain assumptions, which are described in Polestar’s other risk factors, including: Polestar’s future growth and financial performance depend on its ability to generate expected revenues from its current and new vehicle models on a specific timeline and within a specific cost and pricing structure” and “The success of Polestar’s business and its future financial performance are dependent on a variety of factors, including the efficiency, cost-cutting and strategic initiatives Polestar is implementing. Cost-cutting and efficiency initiatives are complex and difficult, and additional steps may be necessary, possibly on short notice and at significant cost.” If Polestar fails to optimize its supply chain and cost structure, its cash flows and profitability may be negatively impacted.
If Polestar’s product development or commercialization is delayed, its cash flow generation may also be delayed and its costs and expenses may be significantly higher than it currently expects. Because Polestar will incur the costs and expenses from these efforts before it receives any incremental revenues with respect thereto, Polestar expects its losses in future periods may be significant. There is no assurance that the business will generate positive cash flow in the future.
Polestar could also experience adverse effects from making incorrect assumptions about important cash flow items. Such adverse effects could include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) a need for additional working capital due to, among other reasons, higher than expected inventory days and a lack of availability of trade finance facilities; (ii) higher than expected capital expenditures related to new vehicle development; (iii) unexpected decreases in cash flow from financing activities, which could be the result of, among other factors, an inability to roll one or more of the working capital facilities with Chinese banking partners in 2024 or 2025; (iv) an inability to refinance its existing indebtedness; or (v) an inability to raise additional financing in 2024, which would ultimately result in continued use of the China-based working capital facilities for longer than expected and until they can be gradually refinanced, and such facilities may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.