CATL(SZ:300750) 经济观察报·2025-05-31 05:21Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the unexpected situation of CATL, a leading player in the power battery industry, facing lawsuits from suppliers due to unpaid debts, which raises concerns about its financial practices and the challenges in its battery swapping business [2][3]. Group 1: Legal Issues and Financial Impact - CATL has been sued by supplier Hanchuan Intelligent for failing to pay a total of 60.88 million yuan, involving multiple contracts from 2021 to 2024 [2][3]. - Hanchuan Intelligent claims that CATL has delayed payments and has not issued acceptance certificates for delivered equipment, which has severely impacted Hanchuan's revenue and led to significant losses in 2024 [9][6]. - The legal disputes have arisen from CATL's market dominance, which Hanchuan alleges has resulted in unfair contract terms and payment practices [5][6]. Group 2: Business Performance and Market Challenges - In 2024, CATL reported a revenue of 362.01 billion yuan, a decrease of 9.7% year-on-year, while its net profit increased by 15.01% to 50.75 billion yuan [2]. - The company's market capitalization reached 1.15 trillion yuan in A-shares and 1.41 trillion yuan in Hong Kong shares as of May 29 [2]. - CATL's battery swapping business has faced significant challenges, with slow progress in establishing its network and partnerships, leading to a reassessment of its strategy [10][11]. Group 3: Market Position and Competitive Landscape - As of April 2023, CATL held a 39.44% market share in domestic power battery installations, a decrease of 2.94% from the previous period, while competitors like BYD saw an increase in their market share [11]. - The decline in CATL's gross margin from 43.7% in 2016 to 22.91% in 2023 indicates a challenging profitability landscape, raising questions about future investments in its battery swapping business [11].