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VinFast's Q1 losses grow on higher spending and increased deliveries

VinFast, a Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer, reported a net loss for the sixth consecutive quarter on Monday as it continues to increase spending in order to boost sales.

VinFast has reported a loss of $712.4 millions for the first three months. This is less than the $1.3billion loss from the previous quarter, but 15% higher than one year ago. According to LSEG, the average analyst forecast was a loss of $616.3 millions.

The revenue jumped by 150%, to $656.50 million between January and March. This compares with the analysts' estimated average of $520.50 million.

The quarter saw a nearly 300% increase in deliveries, reaching 36,330 cars, mostly due to sales in Vietnam, the biggest market.

VinFast, backed by Vietnam's biggest conglomerate Vingroup, continues to face challenges because of weak consumer demand, stiff competitors, and the 25% tariff that the U.S. imposed on imported cars. VinFast had previously identified the U.S. market as a major growth market.

VinFast's gross margin was minus 35.2% for the first quarter of this year, compared to minus 58.7% one year ago.

VinFast Chairman Thuy Le said: "Despite Q1 being typically our slowest quarterly, deliveries in the first quarter 2025 were higher than our total deliveries during the first half of the previous year. This is an encouraging start for 2025 despite the global uncertainty."

The company is intensifying its promotional efforts in the United States, switching to a dealership-based model instead of its expensive showrooms. It has also shifted its focus towards Asia with a new assembly plant set to open in India in July.

The company said that the costs of sales had more than doubled in the first three months compared to the previous year.

VinFast has been losing money every quarter since its IPO in August 2023. Its founder and CEO Pham Nhat Vuong, and Vingroup have provided financial support of around $2 billion as of May.

Third Bridge, a research firm, noted in a report on pre-earnings that "while its VF3 compact SUV is driving volume sales, the company still loses money on each car it sells."

It said that "the bill of materials" was estimated to be higher than Tesla's and BYD's, in part because VinFast lacked scale and paid a premium to its suppliers who were wary about the company.

VinFast's shares rose by 14.04% before the market opened.

In the third quarter, the company announced that it would launch its next-generation platform as well as an electrical architecture for the Limo Green model. The existing EVs will be supported by this platform next year. Reporting by Phuong nguyen from Hanoi, and Akash Sriram from Bengaluru. Shinjini Ganuli and Mark Potter edited the article.

(source: Reuters)