Sherwood News

Aston Martin’s business is sputtering — its billionaire chairman just keeps injecting funds

The British luxury carmaker is raising ~£125 million, while shares have sunk 98% since its IPO.

4/3/25 8:09AM

When Aston Martin decided to go public in 2018, the luxury sports carmaker was eyeing an IPO valuation that could see it race past the likes of Ferrari, boosted by hopes for a new lineup amid a booming period in the global luxury car market. However, less than seven years later, James Bond’s favored carmaker has seen its market value sink to just £664 million — 0.8% that of Ferrari’s — as Canadian Chairman Lawrence Stroll flirts with the idea of taking it private, after his investment consortium injected another £52.5 million into the company this week.

Along with the sale of its minority stake in the Aston Martin Aramco F1 team (said to be worth at least £74 million), Aston Martin will have raised ~£125 million this week — its seventh equity raise since Stroll arrived in 2020. In that time, the Yew Tree Consortium, Stroll’s investment vehicle, has pumped a staggering ~£600 million into the loss-making company.

The tariff uncertainty that’s weighing over peers like Ferrari, Ford, and General Motors is just another concern on a long list for Aston Martin. Since its IPO, the company’s shares have plummeted about 98% as the carmaker contests with production and launch delays, its mounting debt pile, the weakening Chinese market, disappointing sales figures for new models, and more besides.

Gear shift

There is one potential light at the end of the tunnel for the 112-year-old carmaker, though: customization. Increasingly, customers looking to adapt their Vanquishes or Vantages has become an important, high-margin source of revenue for Aston Martin, accounting for 18% of the brand’s sales last year. At least that’s what the latest AM CEO — the fourth in the last five years — is hoping for, with customization highlighted as a key plan to get the carmaker back in the black, per an interview on Monday.

As with basically any other international company in the business of selling things in America, however, tariffs could potentially scupper those plans. Last year, the US accounted for more than one-third of Aston Martin’s revenues, leaving it exposed to Trump’s 25% auto tariffs. Unlike Ferrari, it’s unclear whether the already struggling brand has the horsepower to pass the hikes on to its customers at this time.

Shares popped as much as 13% on the back of Monday’s capital injection announcement, but have since hit the brakes.

Max Knoblauch7h

Electronic Arts launches a platform to put more ads in its games

Video game publishing giant EA launched a new platform on Monday designed to make the process of selling immersive ad space in its popular games easier.

The company says the platform, called EA Advertising, allows brands to “integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content.”

More so than other studios, EA has incorporated advertising into its most popular titles. As Kotaku points out, the company’s ad efforts stretch as far back as 2006. Several of its sports franchises already feature partnerships with brands like Visa, Lowe’s, Red Bull, and PepsiCo.

In-game advertising hasn’t exactly been embraced by fans, but industry experts expect it to ramp up as companies seek more revenue to offset higher games budgets and surging memory costs. EA rival Take-Two has taken a different approach, with CEO Strauss Zelnick recently saying the company was “not at risk of doing brand partnerships” in the forthcoming “Grand Theft Auto VI,” and that ads in full-price games seems “unfair.”

The $55 billion deal to take EA private, led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is set to close at the end of this month. Being the largest leveraged buyout in history, EA will likely look for more ways to boost revenue to cover interest payments.

Electronic Arts Makes Push for Ad Dollars Tied to Sports

Millie Giles6/11/26

JM Smucker says it sold $1 billion worth of Uncrustables in FY2026

After years of booming sandwich sales, JM Smucker has finally earned a billion-dollar crust.

On Tuesday, the company reported results for fiscal year 2026, highlighting better-than-expected profits driven by higher prices for coffee and sweet baked goods. However, at another point on the earnings call, CEO Mark Smucker pointed to one particularly jammy figure: in line with previous forecasts, the company sold $1 billion worth of its (almost always) crustless sandwiches, Uncrustables, in the last year alone.

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

Paramount reportedly offers concessions to resolve multistate antitrust investigation

Paramount has reportedly offered up some concessions in an effort to prevent an antitrust lawsuit by California and about 10 other states, according to Bloomberg reporting on Monday.

Reuters first reported on the potential suit from a group of unnamed states last week, which could throw a wrench in Paramount’s plans to buy rival Warner Bros. Discovery in a Hollywood megamerger.

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

Paramount Offers Concessions to Head Off State Antitrust Lawsuit

The list of concessions is unknown, though Bloomberg previously reported that Paramount is open to divesting some of its kids TV assets to appease EU regulators.

Late last month, reports said US regulators appeared likely to approve the $110 billion merger, following a meeting between Paramount CEO David Ellison and DOJ antitrust staffers.

$98B ⛽

Max Knoblauch6/8/26

The IATA released its latest financial outlook for the airline industry over the weekend, forecasting a $98 billion jump in the sector’s collective fuel bill. The world’s largest trade group representing airlines expects the oil spike to halve profits by 49% from last year to $23 billion.

The group also expects profit margins to halve year over year, falling from 2025’s 4.2% to 2%. Still, revenue is expected to climb to $1.17 trillion from $1.07 trillion.

A surge in the cost of jet fuel has rocked US and global airlines this year, leading Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and others to raise fares and ancillary charges like bag fees. Low-cost carriers, which operate on smaller margins, have been squeezed the hardest, resulting in Spirit’s shutdown.

“It’s a tough year for all airlines, especially those whose balance sheets had not yet recovered from COVID. And, of course, for those operating in the Gulf,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, who added that demand is holding up and about half of passengers expect to spend more on travel this year. “That bodes well for a strong northern summer peak season. The big unknown is how long travelers and shippers can tolerate the higher costs of connectivity.”

Hollywood Exteriors And Landmarks - 2025

1 year into the Switch 2, we might’ve seen the top of the console market

The Switch 2 launched on this day in 2025. Amid a rough year for consoles, Nintendo has logged a good one.

Max Knoblauch6/5/26