Dongguan Securities·2025-12-19 09:09Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating for the lithium battery industry, indicating an expectation that the industry index will outperform the market index by more than 10% over the next six months [47]. Core Insights - The lithium battery market is experiencing high demand due to the year-end surge in sales and favorable tax policies, with November sales reaching new highs. The overall demand for lithium batteries remains strong, supported by robust energy storage needs. The industry is expected to see a slight increase in production in December, maintaining a positive outlook for the sector [42][40]. - The report highlights the ongoing development of solid-state batteries, which is anticipated to drive demand for materials and equipment upgrades within the industry. Key areas of focus include advancements in solid-state electrolytes and new materials for anode and cathode components [43][42]. Summary by Sections Market Review - As of December 18, 2025, the lithium battery index has decreased by 2.86% over the past two weeks, underperforming the CSI 300 index by 3.00 percentage points. Year-to-date, the lithium battery index has increased by 46.16%, outperforming the CSI 300 index by 30.46 percentage points [12][4]. Price Changes in the Lithium Battery Supply Chain - As of December 18, 2025, the average price of battery-grade lithium carbonate is 98,800 CNY/ton, reflecting a 4.99% increase over the past two weeks. The price of lithium hydroxide remains stable at 72,200 CNY/ton. Other materials such as lithium iron phosphate and various NCM materials have also seen price increases ranging from 0.60% to 1.37% [25][28][23]. Industry News - The report notes that the domestic electric vehicle market is entering a phase of high sales but low growth, with expectations for 2026 to see a slight increase in new car sales. The demand for new energy vehicles is projected to continue growing rapidly, with sales potentially reaching 20 million units [40]. - In November, the domestic power battery installation volume reached 93.5 GWh, marking a 39.2% year-on-year increase. The report emphasizes the strong performance of lithium iron phosphate batteries, which accounted for 80.5% of total installations [40]. Company Announcements - The report includes several significant company announcements, such as the acquisition plans by Enjie Co. and Rongbai Technology, which aim to enhance their production capabilities in the lithium battery supply chain [41]. Recommendations - The report suggests focusing on companies that are likely to benefit from the ongoing improvements in the supply-demand dynamics of the lithium battery industry, particularly those involved in solid-state battery technology and innovative material development [44].