Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio (NYSE:NIO) has been facing multiple headwinds this year, including rising interest rates, cost inflation, delisting concerns, and persistent supply chain bottlenecks. Nio and other EV stocks have declined significantly year-to-date and could remain under pressure in the short term due to a possible economic downturn. That said, Wall Street analysts are looking beyond the near-term headwinds when it comes to NIO stock. They remain optimistic about its future prospects amid robust demand for electric vehicles.
Nio Poised to See Better Days Ahead
Nio reported higher-than-anticipated losses for the second quarter despite a 22% rise in revenue. Supply chain and production challenges triggered by the lockdowns in China impacted the EV maker’s Q2 performance. Near term headwinds like higher battery costs are expected to persist in Q3. Nonetheless, the company expects solid growth in vehicle deliveries in the second half of the year.
Nio expects Q3 deliveries in the range of 31,000 to 33,000 vehicles, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 26.8% to 35.0%. Management is confident about hitting “the record-breaking target for the fourth quarter.”
Nio’s optimism is based on favorable demand expectations for its newly launched SUV models – ES7 and ET5. Deliveries of the company’s five-seater ES7 SUV, which is built on the second-generation NIO Technology 2.0 platform, commenced in August. Meanwhile, ET5 deliveries will commence on September 30, 2022.
Nio is also focusing on growing its footprint beyond China. The company is eyeing expansion in the lucrative European market and is expected to launch the ES7, ET5, and ET7 models at the NIO Berlin 2022 event on October 7th. Ahead of the event, Nio recently opened its first battery swap station in Germany in partnership with Sortimo.
The company began shipping its ET7 SUV to Europe in August and expects to deliver its new models in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway this year. Nio marked its entry into the European market with the shipments of its ES8s to Norway in 2021 and also opened its first showroom in Oslo in the same year.
Is Nio Stock a Buy Right Now?
Recently, US Tiger Securities analyst Bo Pei trimmed his price target for Nio stock to $32 from $35 and reiterated a Buy rating.
Pei believes that the third quarter will “likely mark the final weakness” before Nio’s volume growth picks up pace fueled by the new products. The analyst concluded, “With a differentiated value proposition, a unique energy replenishment ecosystem, and the new product cycle, NIO is set to deliver strong volume growth from 4Q through 2023.”
Overall, Nio scores the Street’s Strong Buy consensus rating based on nine unanimous Buys. The average NIO stock price target of $30.51 implies nearly 96% upside potential from current levels. Shares have plunged about 51% year-to-date.
Conclusion
The impact of macro headwinds on Nio’s performance over the near term cannot be denied. That said, Nio is well-positioned to capture further opportunities in China and beyond backed by its impressive technology. Also, the growing demand for EVs in several countries and favorable policies to boost EV adoption bode well for the company’s long-term growth story.
