Zhongyuan Securities·2026-02-12 09:24Investment Rating - The report maintains an investment rating of "Outperform" for the lithium battery industry [6][10]. Core Insights - The lithium battery sector index outperformed the CSI 300 index in January 2026, with a rise of 3.31% compared to the CSI 300's 1.65% [3][10]. - In January 2026, China's new energy vehicle sales slightly increased to 945,000 units, a year-on-year growth of 0.11%, while the power battery installation reached 42.0 GWh, up 8.25% year-on-year [6][16]. - The prices of upstream raw materials have generally increased, with battery-grade lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide prices rising by 19.17% and 26.67% respectively since early January 2026 [6][44][46]. - The report emphasizes the overall upward trend in industry prosperity, driven by domestic and international developments, price trends in sub-sectors, monthly sales, and industry growth expectations [6][10]. Summary by Sections 1. Market Review - The lithium battery sector index showed a strong performance in January 2026, outperforming the CSI 300 index by 1.66 percentage points [3][10]. - Among individual stocks, 55 stocks in the lithium battery concept sector rose, while 49 fell, with a median increase of 0.87% [10]. 2. New Energy Vehicle Sales and Industry Prices - In January 2026, new energy vehicle sales in China were 945,000 units, with a monthly market share of 40.28% [6][16]. - The report forecasts continued growth in the new energy vehicle sector, despite a projected slowdown in sales growth due to policy changes and base effects [20][23]. 3. Industry and Company News - The report highlights significant industry developments, including the establishment of a large electric vehicle charging network in China, which supports over 40 million new energy vehicles [58]. - Notable partnerships and technological advancements in the battery sector are also discussed, indicating ongoing innovation and collaboration within the industry [58].