Ferrari N.V (NYSE:RACE) shares fell 2.6% as the luxury carmaker reported first-quarter earnings and revenue that fell short of Wall Street expectations.
The company announced an adjusted EPS of EUR 1.95, which was EUR 0.07 below the analysts' estimate of EUR 2.02. Revenue for the quarter was EUR 1.59 billion, missing the consensus estimate of EUR 1.66 billion.
Despite the miss, the company's first-quarter revenue increased by 10.9% compared to the same period last year, maintaining a stable unit delivery with 3,560 vehicles shipped, mirroring the prior year's figures.
Ferrari's CEO, Benedetto Vigna, attributed the growth to a stronger product and country mix, as well as increased personalizations under the company's value over volume strategy. The CEO also highlighted the recent launches of the 12Cilindri and 12Cilindri Spider models as part of the company's ongoing business plan.
The company's adjusted EBITDA rose by 12.7% to EUR 605 million, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 38.2%. Adjusted EBIT was up 14.8% to EUR 442 million, leading to an adjusted EBIT margin of 27.9%. These increases were driven by a positive mix and price variance, reflecting the enrichment of the product mix and the positive country mix driven by the Americas.
However, industrial costs and SG&A expenses also saw increases due to higher innovation expenses and the development of the company's digital infrastructure.
Ferrari confirmed its guidance for the full year 2024, expecting a positive product and country mix and strong personalizations to continue. However, cost inflation and continuous brand investments are anticipated, along with robust industrial free cash flow generation, which will be partially offset by increased capital expenditures and higher tax payments.
For FY2024, Ferrari expects an adjusted EPS of approximately EUR 7.50, which is below the analysts' consensus of EUR 8.36. The company also forecasts revenue of around EUR 6.4 billion for the year, compared to the consensus estimate of EUR 7.003 billion.
Vigna remains confident in the company's strategy, stating, "The start of the year was very positive: revenues and profits recorded double-digit growth with stable deliveries." Ferrari's commitment to its strategic plan and product range enrichment is clear, despite the challenges presented by the lower Formula 1 ranking and cost inflation.