1006 GMT - CATL's innovative battery technologies may help the Chinese battery giant protect its price and margin premiums despite intense competition, Citi analysts write in a note. Instead of being just a battery maker, the company is gradually transforming itself into a leader in new-energy tech, they add. The company also leads the charge in R&D among global peers, they say. Global battery demand growth is slowing, but the industry's utilization ratio will rise in 2025 and 2026 amid slower capacity expansion, Citi adds. With CATL's battery shipments to the U.S. falling to a single-digit share in 1Q, it won't be affected by U.S. tariffs much, Citi says. The brokerage initiates coverage of the battery maker's H shares with a buy rating and a target price of HK$425.00. The stock last closed at HK$329.80. (jiahui.huang@wsj.com; @ivy_jiahuihuang)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 22, 2025 06:06 ET (10:06 GMT)
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