LI AUTO(02015) 交银国际·2025-03-17 08:52Investment Rating - The investment rating for the company is downgraded to Neutral with a target price of HKD 93.62, reflecting a potential downside of 17.3% from the current price of HKD 113.20 [1][7][8]. Core Insights - The company's fourth-quarter automotive gross margin fell below expectations at 19.7%, primarily due to a decrease in average selling price (ASP) and an increase in per-vehicle costs, including provisions for purchase commitments and promotional activities [2][8]. - Total revenue for the fourth quarter increased by 3.3% quarter-on-quarter, while net profit rose by 25.2% to RMB 3.5 billion, supported by RMB 400 million in interest income [2][8]. - The company faces significant challenges in sales growth, cost control, and market competitiveness, leading to uncertainties in revenue growth and gross margin for 2025 [2][8]. Financial Overview - Revenue projections for the company are as follows: RMB 123.85 billion in 2023, RMB 144.46 billion in 2024, and RMB 157.98 billion in 2025, with year-on-year growth rates of 173.5%, 16.6%, and 9.4% respectively [3][16]. - Net profit is expected to decline from RMB 11.70 billion in 2023 to RMB 8.03 billion in 2024, before slightly increasing to RMB 8.56 billion in 2025 [3][16]. - The company’s gross margin is projected to decrease from 22.2% in 2023 to 19.7% in 2025, indicating pressure on profitability [17]. Sales and Market Competition - The company anticipates first-quarter sales between 88,000 and 93,000 vehicles, with March sales estimated at 32,000 to 37,000 vehicles, reflecting the impact of recent price cuts [2][8]. - The competitive landscape is intensifying with new entrants in the extended-range vehicle segment, which may affect the company's market share and sales volume [8][9].