UK's Dowlais cuts revenue outlook on slowing EV market, shares hit record low

By Prerna Bedi

(Reuters) -Shares in British automotive supplier Dowlais Group hit a record low on Tuesday after it cut its annual revenue forecast citing a slowdown in Europe's electric vehicle (EV) market.

Soaring living and manufacturing costs have slowed electric vehicle sales and delayed production, with global car makers from Ford Motor and General Motors to Mercedes scaling back ambitious EV plans.

European EV sales are very challenging because of the constant changing of government subsidies and policies regarding support for the transition away from combustion engine vehicles, CEO Liam Butterworth told Reuters.

Dowlais, which was spun off from aerospace supplier Melrose Industries in April last year, said it now expected its 2024 adjusted revenue to fall by mid to high single-digits.

It had earlier expected its 2024 revenue to be "slightly below" that of the previous year.

Shares in the firm pared losses after touching a record low and were 3.9% lower at 59 pence at 0819 GMT.

"Dowlais is fighting hard to remain an integral part of the transition to electric vehicles, but for now it has its work cut out," Hargreaves Lansdown analysts said in a note.

The firm said it had launched a strategic review of its second largest unit, Powder Metallurgy, which could result in a potential sale.

The unit manufactures powder metal parts for the automotive and industrial sectors.

Dowlais also said it expects to take an 18 million pound ($23.04 million) charge in 2024 from the disposal of its hydrogen business.

($1 = 0.7812 pounds)

(Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu, Kirsten Donovan)