Li Auto Inc.
- Open
- 14.54
- Day high
- 14.59
- Day low
- 14.30
- Prev close
- 13.78
- Volume
- 2.0M
- Mkt cap
- $14.7B
- P/E (TTM)
- —
- EPS (TTM)
- —
- P/B
- 1.4
- P/S
- 0.9
- Yield
- —
- Per share
- —
Li Auto Inc. (LI) is a Consumer Cyclical company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is down 52% over the past year. Drillr has 1 published research article covering LI.
Li Auto Inc. (LI) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 4 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
LI earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 2026 | $-0.27 | $-0.33 | -24.2% | $3.3B | +5.0% |
| Mar 12, 2026 | $0.03 | $0.00 | -96.6% | $4.1B | +13.5% |
| Nov 26, 2025 | $0.04 | $-0.09 | -325.0% | $3.8B | -6.7% |
| Aug 28, 2025 | $0.10 | $0.14 | +36.7% | $4.2B | +14.5% |
| May 29, 2025 | $0.13 | $0.08 | -38.7% | $3.6B | -25.1% |
| Mar 14, 2025 | $0.40 | $0.52 | +31.1% | $6.1B | +1.7% |
| Oct 31, 2024 | $0.38 | $0.52 | +35.1% | $6.1B | +2.7% |
| Aug 28, 2024 | $0.19 | $0.20 | +4.3% | $4.4B | -1.4% |
| May 20, 2024 | $0.34 | $0.17 | -50.7% | $3.5B | -5.9% |
| Feb 26, 2024 | $0.29 | $0.60 | +109.7% | $5.9B | +6.5% |
| Nov 9, 2023 | $0.30 | $0.45 | +49.7% | $4.7B | -11.9% |
| Apr 21, 2023 | — | $0.04 | — | $2.6B | — |
LI insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 2006 | CHLEBOWSKI JOHNdirector | Option | 3,375 | — |
| Sep 5, 2006 | CHLEBOWSKI JOHNdirector | Grant | 3,375 | — |
| Sep 5, 2006 | CHLEBOWSKI JOHNdirector | Grant | 6,750 | $27.15 |
| Dec 12, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Tax | 2,748 | $21.95 |
| Dec 12, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Sell | 211 | $21.95 |
| Nov 28, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Tax | 7,363 | $21.98 |
| Nov 28, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Sell | 2,500 | $22.00 |
| Nov 10, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Grant | 15,000 | — |
| Nov 10, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Exec VP & CFO | Grant | 50,000 | $22.55 |
| Sep 29, 2005 | CHLEBOWSKI JOHNdirector | Grant | 3,375 | — |
| Sep 29, 2005 | CHLEBOWSKI JOHNdirector | Grant | 6,750 | $24.79 |
| May 4, 2005 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Sr VP & Chief Finan. Off | Grant | 20,000 | — |
| Dec 8, 2004 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Sr VP & Chief Finan. Off | Grant | 30,000 | — |
| Dec 8, 2004 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Sr VP & Chief Finan. Off | Grant | 50,000 | $18.85 |
| Nov 24, 2004 | CARTY DOUGLAS Aofficer: Sr. Vice President & CFO | Option | 25,000 | — |
Source: LI SEC Form 4 filings, latest Sep 11, 2006. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full LI insider & 13F page →Li Auto Inc. company profile
Overview
Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI) is a Chinese premium electric vehicle manufacturer founded in 2015 and headquartered in Beijing. The company went public on NASDAQ in July 2020, initially focusing on extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) before expanding into pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Li Auto has established itself as a leading player in China's premium new energy vehicle (NEV) market, particularly in the RMB 200,000+ price segment where it holds approximately 15% market share. The company has achieved significant milestones including surpassing 1 million cumulative vehicle deliveries and reaching profitability in 2023.
Business
Li Auto operates in China's rapidly growing new energy vehicle market, designing, manufacturing, and selling premium smart electric vehicles primarily targeting families. The company's core business revolves around two main vehicle categories: Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). EREVs represent Li Auto's original and primary product line, featuring a hybrid powertrain that combines a battery-electric drivetrain with a small gasoline engine that acts as a generator to extend driving range. This technology addresses "range anxiety" common among Chinese consumers while providing electric driving experience. The company's EREV lineup includes the L Series models - L6, L7, L8, and L9 - each targeting different family configurations and price points from RMB 200,000 to RMB 500,000. Each L Series model has achieved over 200,000 cumulative deliveries. The company is expanding into pure BEVs with models like the Li MEGA (a flagship MPV) and upcoming Li i8 and Li i6 SUVs planned for 2025. BEVs rely entirely on battery power without range extenders, representing the company's evolution toward full electrification. Beyond vehicle manufacturing, Li Auto provides comprehensive services including sales management, after-sales service, technology development, and operates an extensive charging infrastructure network with over 1,900 supercharging stations across China. The company also heavily invests in autonomous driving technology, developing advanced driver assistance systems including its AD Max platform with end-to-end architecture trained on millions of video clips. Revenue is primarily generated from vehicle sales (approximately 95% of total revenue), with the remainder from services and other automotive-related activities.
Revenue model
Li Auto generates revenue primarily through direct vehicle sales to consumers, operating both online and offline sales channels. The company sells directly to customers rather than through traditional dealership networks, maintaining control over pricing, customer experience, and margins. Customers are individual consumers and families seeking premium electric vehicles in the RMB 200,000 to RMB 600,000 price range. The business model centers on premium positioning with gross margins typically maintained around 20%. Vehicle margins in recent quarters have ranged from 18-22%, supported by the company's focus on higher-value features like autonomous driving capabilities, premium interiors, and advanced technology integration. Secondary revenue streams include charging services through their supercharging network, after-sales services, and potential future software subscriptions for autonomous driving features. Several factors influence Li Auto's profitability margins. Positive margin drivers include economies of scale as production volumes increase, premium pricing power in the family SUV segment, vertical integration of key technologies like autonomous driving systems, and the company's direct-sales model eliminating dealer markups. The expanding charging network also provides additional revenue opportunities while supporting vehicle sales. Margin pressures come from intense competition in China's NEV market leading to potential price wars, rising raw material costs particularly for batteries and semiconductors, heavy R&D investments in autonomous driving and new model development, and the need for continuous charging infrastructure expansion. The transition from EREVs to BEVs may also create temporary margin pressure as the company scales new production lines and optimizes manufacturing processes. Additionally, potential economic slowdowns could pressure premium vehicle demand, while regulatory changes in China's automotive sector could impact operations and costs.
Competitive moat
Li Auto's competitive moat is moderately strong but faces significant challenges in China's highly competitive NEV market. The company's primary defensive advantages center around its unique EREV technology positioning and integrated ecosystem approach. The company's strongest moat element is its technological differentiation through extended-range electric vehicles, which addresses range anxiety concerns better than pure BEVs while providing electric driving experience. This positioning has allowed Li Auto to capture significant market share in the premium family SUV segment. The company's focus on family-oriented vehicle design with features like six-seat configurations and child-friendly interiors creates customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing. Li Auto's integrated ecosystem including direct sales, proprietary charging network, and advanced autonomous driving capabilities creates switching costs and enhances customer experience. The company's heavy investment in AI and autonomous driving technology, with systems trained on over 10 million video clips, provides technological advantages that are difficult to replicate quickly. However, the moat faces substantial threats. Intense competition from both established automakers like BYD and Tesla, as well as numerous Chinese EV startups, creates pricing pressure and market share erosion risks. The company's dependence on the Chinese market exposes it to regulatory changes and economic volatility. As EREVs may represent a transitional technology, Li Auto's core differentiation could diminish as battery technology improves and charging infrastructure expands, making pure BEVs more attractive. The capital-intensive nature of automotive manufacturing and the need for continuous R&D investment in autonomous driving and new models creates barriers to maintaining technological leadership. Additionally, established automotive giants with deeper resources pose long-term competitive threats as they accelerate EV development.
Risks & safety
Li Auto demonstrates a strong financial position with substantial cash reserves and manageable debt levels, though facing typical cash flow volatility of a growing automotive manufacturer. **Cash and Liquidity Position:** - Cash and short-term investments: RMB 63.1 billion (approximately $8.98 billion USD) as of Q4 2024 - Strong current ratio of 1.82, indicating solid short-term liquidity - Quick ratio of 1.71, showing ability to meet short-term obligations without inventory liquidation **Debt and Solvency Metrics:** - Low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.23, indicating conservative capital structure - Minimal solvency risk given strong balance sheet and cash position - Free cash flow positive in recent quarters: RMB 825 million in Q4 2024 **Valuation Metrics:** - Price-to-earnings ratio: 6.6x (based on Q4 2024 data) - EV/EBITDA: 4.1x, suggesting reasonable valuation relative to cash flow generation - Price-to-book ratio: 1.32x, close to book value **Other Considerations:** - Positive operating cash flow generation demonstrates underlying business profitability - Capital expenditure requirements for new model development and charging infrastructure expansion - Exposure to Chinese market regulatory and economic risks
Recent development
Over the past few years, Li Auto has executed several strategic pivots and expansions that demonstrate its evolution from a single-model EREV manufacturer to a comprehensive premium NEV platform. The company's most significant strategic development has been product portfolio expansion. Starting with the original Li ONE model, Li Auto successfully launched its complete L Series lineup (L6, L7, L8, L9) covering different family configurations and price points. Each model has achieved over 200,000 cumulative deliveries, demonstrating strong market acceptance. The company then expanded into pure battery electric vehicles with the Li MEGA MPV launch and has committed to launching two BEV SUVs in 2025 - the Li i8 in July and Li i6 in the second half. Autonomous driving technology has become a core strategic focus, with Li Auto developing end-to-end autonomous driving solutions trained on over 10 million video clips. The company rolled out AD Max V13 with advanced architecture and has deployed city NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) capabilities across multiple cities. This technology investment represents a significant competitive differentiator and potential future revenue stream through software subscriptions. The company has aggressively expanded its charging infrastructure, growing from a few hundred stations to over 1,900 supercharging stations with 10,000+ charging stalls. This network expansion supports both current EREV customers and prepares for the BEV model launches, with targets to reach 4,000 stations by end of 2025. International expansion has begun with the establishment of Li Auto's first overseas R&D center in Munich, Germany, and service centers in Kazakhstan, Dubai, and Uzbekistan. The company is focusing initial international efforts on Central Asia and Middle East markets rather than Western Europe or North America. Recent organizational restructuring and efficiency improvements have helped the company achieve sustained profitability while maintaining investment in R&D and expansion initiatives.
LI company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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