Strong fundamentals and strategic clarity help company outperform amid geopolitical uncertainty and moderating global growth.
13 May 2025 | 835 Views | By Prerna Lidhoo & Ketan Thakkar
Despite global geopolitical disruptions and slowing growth in key markets, Tata Motors has achieved a significant financial milestone by transitioning from net debt to net cash in FY25. Group CFO P B Balaji said the performance underscores the strength of the company’s internal fundamentals and disciplined execution across its businesses. ...
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Despite global geopolitical disruptions and slowing growth in key markets, Tata Motors has achieved a significant financial milestone by transitioning from net debt to net cash in FY25. Group CFO P B Balaji said the performance underscores the strength of the company’s internal fundamentals and disciplined execution across its businesses. A company is said to be in net cash position when its cash and cash equivalents outweigh it's total debt.
“This has been a great year for us,” Balaji said during the company’s Q4 FY25 earnings call. “We posted record revenues of nearly Rs. 4.4 lakh crore, our second-highest EBITDA at Rs. 58,000 crore, the highest-ever profit before tax at Rs. 34,000 crore and also made our largest investment outlay of Rs. 48,000 crore. Despite this, we moved from net debt to net cash and delivered a gross yield of 17.6 percent.”
The results come amid a volatile global environment, marked by tariff-related inflation risks, softening demand in China, and heightened uncertainty in developed markets. Balaji highlighted that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is holding firm in China, recovering strongly in the UK, and gaining momentum across Europe. JLR’s China operations, he noted, continue to be self-funded through internal cash generation, demonstrating resilience in a complex market.
Moved from Net Debt Rs 63000 crore to Rs 1000 crore Net cash in 4 years
Balaji said, Tata Motors sustained its strong performance in FY25, delivering its highest-ever revenues and profit-before-tax and exceptional items despite a challenging environment. “As committed, the automotive business is now debt-free on a consolidated basis.”
The automotive free cash flow for the Q4 FY-25 was 19,400 crores, and because of this, the group turned net cash positive in FY25, with a net cash balance of Rs 1,000 crores.
The Net Debt at its peak was almost Rs 63,000 crore, informed Balaji, adding, “So therefore, in the last four years, this number has come down by a whopping 64,000 crores
One of the big levers of turning cash positive was that JLR reported its 10th consecutive profitable quarter, the highest annual EBITDA margin, and the profit in a decade.
“The business delivered a strong ROCE of 19.4% in FY25, and the pre-cash flows for the quarter were £1.5 billion, for the year were £1.5 billion, and hence the net cash is now positive. They've also gone debt-free this year,” added Balaji
Positioned for Continued Strategic Execution
Balaji asserted that Tata Motors’ strong financial position enables the company to stay firmly aligned with its long-term strategy, even as short-term disruptions persist.
“Yes, the external situation is challenging. But our internals are strong. That gives us the confidence to continue executing. We may make tactical course corrections, but we’re clear-sighted about our destination,” he said.
Demerger to Unlock Focus and Agility
Tata Motors is also moving ahead with its proposed demerger, which will separate its Commercial Vehicles (CV) business from the Passenger Vehicles (PV), Electric Vehicles (EV), and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) verticals into independently listed entities. Balaji said the move enhances agility, accountability, and focus across business units.
“With the demerger now underway, it gives us further wings to fly—enabling each vertical to pursue its goals with sharper clarity,” he added.
While the company refrained from issuing a formal guidance for FY26, it maintained that it is structurally well-positioned to absorb external shocks and capitalize on regional demand recovery, particularly in India, the UK, and Europe.