Key Highlights
- NIO shares surged more than 7% in Hong Kong trading following CEO William Li’s confirmation of a 40–50% delivery growth objective for 2026
- The third-generation ES8 recorded 16,255 retail units in March, maintaining its position as the top-selling luxury vehicle above 400,000 yuan for the fourth consecutive month
- Pre-orders opened for the ES9 SUV flagship at 528,000 yuan — offering a 31% price advantage over the ET9 while featuring comparable technology
- Annual 2025 revenue increased 33% to reach 87.49 billion yuan, while net losses contracted to 15.57 billion yuan from the previous year’s 22.66 billion yuan
- BOC International upgraded its NIO US-listed stock price target to $14 while maintaining its “Buy” recommendation
Shares of NIO experienced a significant rally exceeding 7% during Monday’s Hong Kong trading session, extending a positive trend driven by encouraging operational updates. The company’s CEO, William Li, delivered optimistic remarks during the China EV 100 forum held in Beijing over the weekend, injecting renewed investor enthusiasm as the week commenced.
During discussions at the Beijing conference, Li revealed that NIO has transitioned into its “third developmental phase” beginning in the latter half of the previous year. He reinforced expectations for delivery expansion between 40% and 50% throughout 2026, citing the company’s first-quarter results as validation of sustained upward trajectory.
With NIO reporting a remarkable 98.3% year-over-year delivery surge in the first quarter, the CEO’s projection carries substantial credibility.
The latest iteration of the ES8 demonstrated impressive performance in March, achieving 16,255 units in retail sales. This accomplishment extended the vehicle’s dominance in the premium segment priced at 400,000 yuan and above for a fourth consecutive month.
The all-new #NIO ES8 hit 16,255 domestic sales in March, securing the top sales spot for four consecutive months among full-size SUVs and models priced above 400k RMB.
Over its first six full months of delivery from October 2025 to March 2026, the all-new ES8 posted cumulative… https://t.co/tdlh9zSzoj pic.twitter.com/BUXT3ky6OX— ThinkerCar (@thinkercar) April 13, 2026
The ES8 achieved a milestone of 90,000 total deliveries within just 195 days, translating to a weekly average exceeding 3,000 units. As a reference point, the model recorded merely 514 units during March 2025. The transformation has been remarkably swift.
ES9 Pre-Sales Add Fresh Growth Catalyst
NIO initiated pre-order campaigns for its upcoming ES9 flagship SUV on Thursday last week, with pricing starting at 528,000 yuan. This represents a 31% reduction compared to the ET9 sedan, despite incorporating similar technological features.
The pricing approach seems intentional — NIO is attempting to replicate its ES8 success formula within an elevated price segment. The ES9’s formal debut is anticipated in late May, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin on June 1.
BOC International projects steady ES9 monthly delivery volumes ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 units. The financial institution forecasts that combined ES8 and ES9 monthly sales will maintain levels above 10,000 units, with potential for additional expansion.
Financial Results Support Growth Narrative
NIO’s complete fiscal year 2025 financial report, submitted Friday in Hong Kong, demonstrated revenue climbing 33% year-over-year to 87.49 billion yuan. The company’s attributable losses decreased to 15.57 billion yuan, compared with 22.66 billion yuan recorded in 2024.
Per-share losses improved to 6.85 yuan from the previous year’s 11.03 yuan.
BOC International elevated its revenue projections for NIO covering 2026 and 2027 by 3% to 5%, responding to the updated sales trajectory.
The investment bank increased its price target for NIO’s US-traded shares to $14, preserving its “Buy” recommendation. The upgrade reflects NIO’s growth acceleration, improved visibility toward positive cash flow generation, and what analysts characterized as an “inflection point” in operational performance.
NIO’s US-listed shares extended gains by an additional 2% during Monday’s pre-market session, trading at $6.63.
Xpeng advanced 1.72% while Li Auto climbed 0.88% during the same Hong Kong trading period. BYD registered gains of 4.66%.
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