Zhao Yin Guo Ji·2026-03-11 02:24Investment Rating - The report maintains a HOLD rating for NIO Inc. with a target price of US$6.00 for the US shares and HK$47.00 for the HK shares, reflecting a potential upside of 5.3% and 23.2% respectively from current prices [3][7]. Core Insights - Despite a strong performance in 4Q25, with revenue rising 76% YoY to RMB34.7 billion and achieving a gross margin of 17.5%, the sustainability of NIO's R&D and SG&A expenses is questioned [7][8]. - The report expresses concerns about NIO's future profitability, indicating that it still lags behind its peers in the competitive Chinese EV market [1][7]. - The Onvo L90 model's sales performance is viewed as potentially unsustainable, raising doubts about the introduction of new models in a highly competitive environment [1][7]. Financial Summary - Revenue projections for NIO are as follows: FY23A at RMB55.6 billion, FY24A at RMB65.7 billion, FY25A at RMB87.5 billion, FY26E at RMB128.7 billion, and FY27E at RMB147.3 billion, with YoY growth rates of 12.9%, 18.2%, 33.1%, 47.1%, and 14.5% respectively [2][11]. - The gross margin is expected to improve from 5.5% in FY23A to 16.1% in FY26E, before slightly declining to 15.0% in FY27E [2][11]. - NIO is projected to incur a net loss of RMB3.8 billion in FY26E, despite a forecasted sales volume of 460,000 units [7][9]. Earnings Performance - NIO recorded its first-ever net profit of RMB122 million in 4Q25, driven by lower-than-expected R&D and SG&A expenses [7][8]. - The report highlights a significant reduction in R&D expenses by 44.3% YoY and SG&A expenses by 27.5% YoY in 4Q25, contributing to the earnings beat [7][8]. - The operating profit for FY25A is projected at RMB(14.0) billion, improving to RMB(3.8) billion in FY26E [9][11]. Market Position - NIO's market capitalization is reported at approximately US$14.3 billion for the US shares and HK$95.7 billion for the HK shares [6]. - The average trading volume over the past three months is 198.63 million for NIO US and 221.99 million for 9866 HK [6]. - The stock has shown a 12-month price performance with a 1-month increase of 12.4% for NIO US, while 9866 HK has decreased by 3.9% [6].