【华创汽车】年度策略：寻找结构性机会和产业新方向

Core Viewpoint - The market currently holds a pessimistic outlook on the automotive industry's cycle for next year due to expectations of subsidy policy withdrawal, but sales performance may exceed market expectations, presenting investment opportunities focused on expectation recovery, individual stock alpha, and trends in the intelligent driving/robotics/liquid cooling sectors [3][18]. Sales Outlook - Retail sales are expected to grow by 1.0% and wholesale by 4.6% in 2026, with electric vehicle (EV) wholesale increasing by 8% and gasoline vehicle wholesale by 1%. Inventory is projected to slightly increase by 200,000 units by year-end, and exports are anticipated to reach 6.86 million units, a 21% increase. This outlook is more optimistic compared to the market's pessimistic sales forecasts, driven by factors such as lower-than-expected sales in Q4 2025 leading to demand being pushed into the next year, and positive expectations regarding policy support [4][19]. Competitive Outlook - From the perspective of complete vehicles, the market structure for economy and high-end brands is largely established, making it more challenging for second-tier brands to expand. Price pressures are expected to increase due to the industry's shift to "passive inventory accumulation," while policy guidance aimed at reducing internal competition is expected to alleviate some pricing pressures. For components, the slowdown in EV growth will impact revenue and profit margins, alongside fluctuations in raw materials and exchange rates [5][20]. Complete Vehicle Investment - The downward cycle is likely to suppress overall valuations, with three main potential opportunities in 2026: 1) Recovery of pessimistic expectations, driven by catalysts such as better-than-expected sales, policies, and exports post-Chinese New Year, focusing on leading companies like Geely and BYD; 2) JAC Motors, which has less correlation with the downward beta of EVs, showing significant fundamental and valuation elasticity; 3) Scattered opportunities in complete vehicles, such as NIO, which depend on the successful launch of new models and require ongoing monitoring for early identification [6][21]. Component Investment - The growth rate of new energy vehicles is expected to decline from +25% in 2025 to +8% in 2026, indicating that most high-quality components will face revenue and profit margin pressures unless there is an additional order release cycle. Investment opportunities will continue to focus on new industry directions, driven by industry progress and company developments, particularly in intelligent driving, liquid cooling, and robotics. 1) Intelligent Driving: The implementation of L3 standards is expected to catalyze order cycles, with recommendations for Horizon Robotics and attention to Hesai Technology, Supcon, and Black Sesame Intelligence. The rollout of L4 standards is anticipated to create investment opportunities for autonomous driving operators, with recommendations for Pony.ai, WeRide, and Cao Cao Mobility [7][22]. 2) Liquid Cooling: This sector is expected to contribute orders and profits quickly, with automotive component companies accelerating their entry, recommending Minth Group, Yinlun, and Lingyun [8][23]. 3) Robotics: Following recent sector adjustments, the industry is expected to advance next year, creating new investment opportunities, with priority recommendations for adjusted leading companies: Top Group, Minth Group, Yinlun, Double Ring Transmission, and Haoneng [8][23]. 4) Companies with strong performance support due to a relatively large volume of new orders can be considered for low-entry positions, including Minth Group, Haoneng, Aikodi, Jifeng, Xingyu, Yinlun, and Double Ring Transmission [8][23].