锂电反内卷行至深水区 头部铁锂材料企业携手“自救”

Core Viewpoint - The lithium battery industry is entering a new cycle characterized by a surge in demand and supply optimization, leading to a significant increase in both volume and price across various segments. However, the industry faces challenges, particularly in the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) sector, where companies have been experiencing losses despite high shipment volumes [4][5]. Group 1: Industry Overview - The demand for lithium iron phosphate batteries has surged, with shipments in China reaching 1,050 GWh from January to October 2025, accounting for 78% of total lithium battery shipments, representing a 65% year-on-year increase [4]. - Despite high production and sales, LFP companies are still operating at a loss, with upstream material costs, such as lithium carbonate and phosphate, rising sharply, potentially exacerbating losses [4][5]. Group 2: Financial Performance of Key Companies - Major LFP companies have reported significant losses over the past three years, with a cumulative loss exceeding 10.9 billion yuan among five leading firms from 2023 to Q3 2025. Notably, De Fang Nano has incurred losses exceeding 3.5 billion yuan [6][7]. - The financial outlook for these companies remains bleak, with projected net profits for 2023 showing negative figures for most, except for Hunan Youneng, which is expected to maintain a slight profit [8]. Group 3: Industry Initiatives and Solutions - The industry is advocating for a collaborative approach to address the "involution" issue, with several companies proposing initiatives to promote self-discipline, price stability, and coordinated capacity release [10][12]. - Key initiatives include rebuilding market pricing logic based on costs, promoting innovation in new technologies, and ensuring a balanced supply-demand relationship to facilitate orderly capacity release [12][13]. - Companies are encouraged to establish long-term orders with upstream suppliers, optimize production processes, and implement cost control measures to mitigate financial losses [12][13].