BYD Co. (HK:1211) (BYDDY), one of Tesla’s (TSLA) key rivals in the electric vehicle market, has lowered its full-year sales goal, citing tough competition in China. The company now expects to deliver 4.6 million vehicles in 2025, down 16% from its earlier target of 5.5 million, according to Reuters.
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Following the news, BYD’s Hong Kong-listed shares fell about 2%, though analysts said the weaker goal was already expected.
BYD Trims Outlook after Weak Profit
The cut comes after BYD reported a 30% drop in profit for the last quarter. Deliveries in July and August were flat compared with last year, even as rivals gained ground with lower-priced mass-market models.
Beijing’s move to limit heavy discounts has also hurt BYD, taking away a tactic it often used to defend market share.
Bernstein Calls It a “Clearing Event”
Bernstein analyst Eunice Lee described the lower sales goal as a “near-term clearing event” for the stock. She said the new goal is close to what investors expected and may be easier for BYD to achieve.
Even so, the company faces a tough road ahead. The peak sales season in September and October will test BYD’s ability to compete without relying on deep discounts. BYD is still China’s top EV brand, but rivals like Geely Automobile (GELYF) and XPeng (XPEV) are rolling out low-cost, better models, while Xiaomi (XIACF) has joined the market with its SU7 sedan and YU7 SUV, adding more pressure.
Is BYDDY a Good Stock to Buy?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on BYD stock based on 5 Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. Furthermore, the average BYDDF price target of $17.56 per share implies 26.51% upside potential.
