2026 mgmt outlook call series: Aggressive on volume growth while cautious on margins We hosted 10 virtual company meetings at our China Autos 2026 Management Outlook Call Series with six OEM companies, two suppliers and one dealer during Jan 5-6, including SAIC, GAC, Xiaomi Corp. (covered by Timothy Zhao), Leapmotor (Not Covered, 9863.HK), Great Wall (Not Covered, 2333.HK/601633.SS), Seres (Not Covered, 9927.HK/601127.SS). What surprised us and what to do about it Overall, we observed four key themes in Chi ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call on China Auto Manufacturers Industry Overview - The conference call focused on the **China Auto Manufacturers** industry, particularly the performance of **New Energy Vehicles (NEVs)** and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in October 2025. Core Insights and Arguments 1. **NEV Market Performance**: - October 2025 saw a **-8% month-over-month (MoM)** decline in domestically produced NEV passenger vehicle (NEV-PV) sales, although there was a **+1% year-over-year (YoY)** increase, which missed expectations [1][9]. - Local Chinese brands maintained a high NEV market share of **84.3%**, increasing by **+1.2 percentage points (ppt) MoM** [6]. 2. **ICE Vehicle Sales**: - The penetration of ICE vehicles increased to **42.4%**, up **+0.8 ppt MoM** [2]. - Chinese brands' ICE market share rose by **+1.7 ppt MoM** to **35.4%**, while foreign brands (German, Japanese, US) experienced declines [3]. 3. **Market Share Changes**: - **Xiaomi, Nio, and Seres** gained BEV market shares with increases of **+1.3 ppt, +1.0 ppt, and +0.8 ppt** respectively, while **Tesla and BYD** lost market shares of **-4.9 ppt and -2.6 ppt** [2]. - **Geely and Chery** gained PHEV market shares by **+1.2 ppt and +0.3 ppt** respectively, while **GWM and BYD** lost shares [2]. 4. **Tesla's Performance**: - Tesla's domestic insurance retail sales dropped **-61% MoM** and **-34% YoY** to **27,367 units**. Wholesales were **61,497 units**, down **-32% MoM** and **-10% YoY** [4][19]. - Tesla's inventory levels increased, indicating potential overstock issues [5]. 5. **Inventory Levels**: - Overall inventory for major OEMs rose from **2.3 months** at the end of September to **2.7 months** at the end of October [5]. - NEV inventory also increased by **0.3 months MoM** to **1.7 months** [5]. Additional Important Insights 1. **Export Performance**: - The export volume of NEVs reached **35,491 units**, reflecting a **+84% MoM** and **+28% YoY** increase, indicating strong international demand [4]. 2. **Sales Data**: - Total domestically produced NEV PV sales for October 2025 were **1,189,321 units**, with a **1% YoY increase** but an **8% MoM decrease** [9]. 3. **Market Dynamics**: - The competitive landscape is shifting, with local brands gaining ground against established players like Tesla and BYD, suggesting a potential long-term trend favoring domestic manufacturers [2][3]. 4. **Analyst Certification and Disclosures**: - The report includes important disclosures regarding potential conflicts of interest and the analysts' certifications, emphasizing the need for investors to consider these factors in their decision-making [7][26]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, highlighting the current state and trends within the Chinese auto manufacturing industry, particularly focusing on NEVs and ICE vehicles.