CATL(SZ:300750) 高工锂电·2025-09-21 08:23Core Viewpoint - The Chinese lithium battery industry is experiencing a clear cyclical turning point after a prolonged downturn characterized by price wars and overcapacity, with strong evidence indicating a new capital expenditure cycle led by major enterprises based on genuine demand recovery [2][3]. Market Sentiment: From Divergent Trends to "Running Ahead" Expectations - The capital market signaled an industry reversal in Q2 2025, with core enterprises like CATL and Ganfeng Lithium seeing significant stock price recoveries, indicating a shift in investor focus towards companies with strong financial health and technological advantages [3][4]. - A notable event was CATL's potential production interruption due to a mining license expiration, which triggered a 10% surge in related lithium stocks, reflecting a fundamental shift in market expectations towards supply tightness [4]. Financial Data: The Logic of "Volume Over Price" Validated - In Q2 2025, the Chinese lithium battery industry achieved revenues of 267.86 billion RMB, a year-on-year increase of over 11% and a quarter-on-quarter increase of over 13% [5]. - The net profit for the quarter reached 21.77 billion RMB, a year-on-year surge of 30.49% and an 18.68% increase from the previous quarter, indicating a robust recovery across the industry [6][7]. Operational Reality: Capacity Bottlenecks Triggering a New Investment Cycle - By Q2 2025, the capacity utilization rate of leading Chinese battery manufacturers exceeded 80% for the first time since 2022, indicating a significant operational recovery [10]. - CATL's capacity utilization reached 90%, close to its historical peak, necessitating new capacity investments to meet rising demand [11][12]. Capital Expenditure: A Clear Signal of New Cycle Initiation - Capital expenditures in the lithium battery industry turned positive in 2025, with a year-on-year increase of 31.72%, particularly in battery manufacturing, where growth rates were 23% and 40% in Q1 and Q2 respectively [14]. - CATL's capital expenditure reached 20.2 billion RMB, a 46% increase year-on-year, primarily for domestic expansion and global layout [14][15]. Demand Foundation: Structural Changes Driving Real Growth - The demand driving this recovery has undergone profound changes, with the energy storage market emerging as a core engine for lithium demand, accounting for 27% of global battery production by 2025 [17][19]. - The power battery sector is also experiencing a significant transformation, with pure electric vehicle sales rebounding strongly, leading to increased demand for batteries [20][21]. Conclusion - The new capital expenditure wave in the lithium battery industry is supported by the explosive growth in the energy storage market and the optimization of demand structure in power batteries, marking a definitive turning point for the industry [22][23].