Li Auto Expected to Post Weaker Net Profit on Sluggish Sales -- Earnings Preview

Dow Jones
Mar 10
 

By Jiahui Huang

 

Li Auto is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results on Thursday. Here's what you need to know:

 

NET PROFIT: The Chinese plug-in hybrid maker is expected to post net profit of 150.19 million yuan, equivalent to $21.7 million, for the fourth quarter, down from 3.52 billion yuan a year earlier, according to the consensus estimate of analysts polled by Visible Alpha.

 

REVENUE: Revenue is estimated at 32.41 billion yuan, down 27% from a year earlier. The automaker delivered 109,194 vehicles for the quarter, in line with its guidance of 100,000 to 110,000 units.

 

Li Auto's Hong Kong-listed shares fell 36% in the fourth quarter of last year. The decline followed weak sales data in December and investors concerns about whether the company can scale up sales.

WHAT TO WATCH:

-- MARGIN: Given Li Auto's weak fourth-quarter guidance, investors will focus on vehicle gross margins to gauge cost control and profitability. Vehicle margin is expected to reach 17.98% for the period, up from 15.5% in the third quarter, according to the Visible Alpha poll.

-- ROBOTICS: The company is expanding into robotics, shifting its focus toward embodied intelligence, including plans for humanoid robots and specialized AI-driven hardware, Citi analysts wrote in a recent note. Investors will be watching for details about plans to enter the robotics field and how it may affect the company's bottom line.

-- OUTLOOK: The company typically releases first-quarter deliveries and revenue guidance in its fourth quarter earnings report. Investors will watch for guidance for signs of how Li Auto plans to respond to slowing demand in China's EV market.

 

Write to Jiahui Huang at jiahui.huang@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 10, 2026 05:38 ET (09:38 GMT)

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