The American depositary receipt of the Chinese EV (electric vehicle) manufacturer Nio (NYSE:NIO) closed nearly 11% higher on July 24. Though there was no company-specific news, China’s top economic planner’s effort to drive private investments in infrastructure sectors, including transport and clean energy, lifted investors’ sentiment. While the move is a positive for NIO, its stock has recovered quite a bit and exceeded analysts’ average price target, implying downside potential from current levels.
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But before we dig deeper, it’s important to highlight that shares of other Chinese EV makers, including XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) and Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI), also closed higher following the National Development and Reform Commission’s push to drive investment in transport, clean energy, water, and advanced manufacturing, and modern mechanized agriculture.
Analysts’ Average Price Target Shows Downside
Nio stock underperformed the broader market as Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) aggressive pricing strategy weighed on the demand and margins of NIO. For instance, Nio’s vehicle margin was 5.1% in the first quarter compared to 18.1% in the prior-year quarter and 6.8% in Q4 of 2022. The slump in margin reflects changes in product mix, increased discounts, and a higher battery cost per unit.
Nonetheless, Nio stock marked a comeback and recovered significantly over the past three months. (See the graph below.)
Thanks to the recent rally in its shares, Nio stock exceeded analysts’ average price target of $10.38. Based on analysts’ average price target, NIO offers a downside potential of 11.51% from current levels.
The Top Wall Street analysts maintain a bullish outlook on Nio. Investors should note that TipRanks identifies the Top Wall Street analysts per sector, per timeframe, and against different benchmarks. The ranking shows an analyst’s ability to deliver higher returns through recommendations.
With top analysts’ maintaining an optimistic outlook on NIO stock, let’s understand whether it is a Buy, Sell, or Hold.
What is the Future Price of NIO Stock?
The top Wall Street analysts continue to show faith in NIO’s prospects and recommend a Buy. NIO stock sports a Strong Buy rating consensus based on three Buy and one Hold recommendations from the Top Wall Street analysts.
On July 11, Morgan Stanley analyst Tim Hsiao reiterated the Buy recommendation on NIO stock. The analyst has a price target of $12. The analyst highlighted that the new orders for NIO reached a year-to-date high, indicating increased volumes. Further, new model launches augur well for future growth.
Bottom Line
Despite the fact that NIO’s prospects seem promising, the recent rally in its price indicates investors should wait for a better entry point. Further, the volume growth also reflects price cuts, indicating continued pressure on its margins in the near term.