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QuantumScape (QS)
NASDAQ:QS
US Market

QuantumScape (QS) AI Stock Analysis

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QS

QuantumScape

(NASDAQ:QS)

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Neutral 44 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:44Neutral
Price Target:
$6.50
▼(-5.11% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/12/26
The score is held down primarily by pre-revenue financials with large ongoing losses and elevated free-cash-flow burn. Technicals also reflect weak momentum with the stock below major moving averages. Partially offsetting these, the latest earnings call highlighted meaningful execution milestones and a strong liquidity position, but guidance still points to substantial continuing losses.
Positive Factors
Balance sheet / Liquidity
QuantumScape’s substantial liquidity and very low leverage provide a durable runway to advance pilot production and validation. With ~ $971M in available liquidity and modest debt, the company can fund near-term CapEx and R&D without immediate capital markets pressure, reducing dilution risk while pursuing commercialization milestones.
Technology & pilot manufacturing progress
Integration of the COBRA process and shipment of QSE‑5 cells, together with the Eagle Line pilot inauguration, show progress from R&D to reproducible pilot manufacturing. These durable engineering and process milestones materially raise the odds of cell qualification and scaleable transfer to partners over the coming quarters.
Partnerships & early commercial validation
Broader OEM and supplier engagement (PowerCo/Volkswagen, additional OEMs, Murata, Corning) plus first customer billings validate industry interest and provide technical and commercial channels. These partnerships bolster credibility, ease industrialization, and create a tangible pathway to licensing or cell revenue over the medium term.
Negative Factors
High cash burn and funding dependence
Persistent negative operating and free cash flow indicates meaningful ongoing funding needs. With FCF substantially negative and worsening year-over-year, the company will remain dependent on external financing, partner support, or milestone payments to fund operations and scale manufacturing, a durable risk until commercial revenues ramp.
Pre-revenue with large operating losses
QuantumScape remains essentially pre‑revenue while absorbing large operating losses and negative gross profit. Sustained sizable losses constrain the company’s path to profitability, increase sensitivity to execution missteps, and lengthen the timeline where investor funding or partner economics are necessary to bridge to meaningful commercial income.
Dependence on partners and lumpy billings
QuantumScape’s capital‑light, partner-driven commercialization model reduces capital needs but transfers execution risk to OEMs and licensees. Lumpy, non‑GAAP customer billings and related‑party timing can obscure revenue visibility and tie commercialization timing to partner decisions, which can delay cash flows and royalty streams.

QuantumScape (QS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

QuantumScape Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionQuantumScape Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, focuses on the development and commercialization of solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles and other applications in the United States. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
How the Company Makes MoneyQuantumScape makes money through the development and future commercialization of its solid-state battery technology. The company aims to license its technology and establish partnerships with major automotive manufacturers to integrate its batteries into electric vehicles. Revenue is expected to be generated through these strategic partnerships and potential joint ventures. Additionally, QuantumScape may also explore direct sales of its battery products once they are commercially viable. Significant partnerships, such as the one with Volkswagen Group, play a crucial role in QuantumScape's business model by providing financial support and a pathway to market entry for their cutting-edge battery solutions.

QuantumScape Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 11, 2026
(Q4-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Apr 29, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call emphasized meaningful technology and commercialization milestones (COBRA integration, QSE-5 shipments, Eagle Line inauguration), stronger partner engagement, the company’s first customer billings, and a nearly $971M liquidity position — all positive operational and strategic developments. At the same time, sizable GAAP losses, continued adjusted EBITDA losses (albeit improved ~10% y/y), lumpy/non-GAAP billings, and reliance on external partners for scale present ongoing financial and execution risks. Overall the tone is constructive and execution-focused, with management presenting measurable progress while acknowledging remaining commercialization and financial hurdles.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Technology Integration and Product Shipments
Integrated COBRA process into cell production baseline in June 2025 enabling gigawatt-hour-scale capability; COBRA-enabled QSE-5 cells shipped to Volkswagen Group and showcased in a real-world demo (Ducati V21L) at IAA Mobility in Munich.
Eagle Line Inauguration and Pilot Production
Installed and inaugurated the Eagle Line (pilot, automated cell production line) on 2026-02-04 to produce QSE-5 cells for customer sampling, demonstrate scalable process steps, and serve as a blueprint for licensing partners.
Partnership and Ecosystem Expansion
Expanded collaboration/licensing with PowerCo (Volkswagen Group), added two major global automotive OEMs, and brought in supply partners Murata Manufacturing and Corning to strengthen ceramic separator and materials capabilities.
First Customer Billings and Commercial Validation
Achieved first customer billings for full year 2025 of $19.5 million and received $19.5 million in cash from those billings, validating the development-and-licensing cash-inflow model.
Financial Discipline and Improved Adjusted EBITDA
Delivered adjusted EBITDA loss of $252.3 million for full year 2025, an approximate 10% year-over-year improvement from ~$285 million in 2024; Q4 adjusted EBITDA loss was $63.3 million (in line with expectations).
Strong Liquidity Position
Ended 2025 with $970.8 million in liquidity, supporting near-term execution and the company’s capital-light licensing strategy.
Capital Expenditure Plan and Focused R&D
2025 CapEx was $36.3 million (Q4 $12.3M), within guidance; 2026 CapEx expected to be $40–$60 million, primarily to invest in next-generation technology beyond QSE-5 and continue pilot/industrialization work.
Negative Updates
Continued GAAP Losses and High Operating Expenses
GAAP operating expenses in Q4 were $110.5 million and GAAP net loss for Q4 was $100.1 million; full year 2025 GAAP operating expenses were $472.6 million and GAAP net loss was $435.1 million, indicating substantial ongoing operating losses.
Sustained Adjusted EBITDA Losses with Flat Near-Term Outlook
Adjusted EBITDA loss guidance for full year 2026 is expected to be $250–$275 million (i.e., roughly flat to modestly improved versus 2025), indicating continued high cash burn as the company scales development and commercialization.
Lumpy, Non-GAAP Customer Billings and Recognition Constraints
Customer billings ($19.5M) are lumpy quarter-to-quarter and are not U.S. GAAP revenue; related-party timing resulted in amounts being reported to shareholders’ equity rather than revenue, limiting clarity on near-term revenue recognition.
Dependence on Partners Under Capital-Light Model
Business model intentionally relies on licensing and partner-led scale (e.g., PowerCo/VW, Murata, Corning). This reduces capital needs but increases execution and commercialization dependence on third parties and partner timelines.
Market Turbulence and OEM Capacity Dynamics
Management acknowledged turbulence and excess cell capacity in the market and 'retrenchment' at some OEMs, which could influence customer timelines and demand, even though executives described long-term customer interest as intact.
Ambiguity in Conditional Cash Inflows Disclosure
Presentation slide showing 'conditional cash inflows' changed from $261M to $150M on different materials; management clarified this was a different accounting of the same VW-related economics (prepay + up-to development payments) but the change caused short-term disclosure ambiguity.
Company Guidance
QuantumScape’s financial guidance and disclosed metrics showed: Q4 GAAP operating expenses of $110,500,000 and Q4 GAAP net loss of $100,100,000 (FY2025 GAAP OpEx $472,600,000 and net loss $435,100,000); Q4 adjusted EBITDA loss $63,300,000 and FY2025 adjusted EBITDA loss $252,300,000 (about a 10% improvement from $285,000,000 in the prior year); customer billings for FY2025 of $19,500,000 (cash received $19,500,000, reported to equity due to related‑party accounting); year‑end liquidity $970,800,000; and forward guidance for FY2026 of adjusted EBITDA loss between $250,000,000 and $275,000,000 and CapEx of $40,000,000–$60,000,000 (Q4 CapEx $12,300,000; FY2025 CapEx $36,300,000). Management said the 2026 EBITDA outlook already reflects partner/equipment support, expects customer billings to increase versus 2025, and will continue to drive operational and capital efficiency while scaling the Eagle Line.

QuantumScape Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Pre-revenue with sustained, sizable losses (TTM EBIT -$472.6M; net loss -$435.1M) and heavy cash burn (TTM FCF -$278.8M, worsening vs 2024). Balance sheet is a mitigating strength with low leverage (~$71.0M debt vs $1.17B equity) and substantial liquidity capacity, but ongoing negative returns and funding dependence keep the score low.
Income Statement
12
Very Negative
QS continues to report no revenue across the historical periods provided, while losses remain very large. In TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), gross profit is negative (-$52.0M) and operating losses are significant (EBIT -$472.6M; net loss -$435.1M). Losses have not shown a clear sustained improvement versus prior years (net loss was -$477.9M in 2024 and -$445.1M in 2023), indicating ongoing heavy spend ahead of commercialization and limited near-term operating leverage.
Balance Sheet
64
Positive
The balance sheet is a relative bright spot: leverage is low, with total debt of $71.0M in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) against $1.17B of equity (debt-to-equity ~0.06). Total assets are $1.31B, supporting liquidity and continued investment capacity. The key weakness is persistent negative returns on equity (about -0.40 in TTM), reflecting that shareholder capital is still being consumed by ongoing losses despite modest debt levels.
Cash Flow
28
Negative
Cash burn remains elevated. In TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), operating cash flow is -$242.5M and free cash flow is -$278.8M, with free cash flow worsening versus 2024 (growth of about -49.7%). A positive sign is that free cash flow is broadly in line with accounting losses (free cash flow is ~1.14x net loss in TTM), suggesting losses are not being materially masked by working-capital timing; however, the scale of ongoing negative cash flow still implies continued funding dependence over time.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue0.000.000.000.000.00
Gross Profit-73.22M-57.78M-41.96M-36.12M-14.70M
EBITDA-399.38M-417.94M-400.74M-373.37M-29.86M
Net Income-435.05M-477.86M-445.14M-411.91M-45.97M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.31B1.32B1.50B1.48B1.72B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments970.81M910.77M1.07B1.06B1.45B
Total Debt71.00M93.54M100.63M105.42M77.37M
Total Liabilities139.18M164.55M161.80M155.86M107.06M
Stockholders Equity1.17B1.16B1.34B1.32B1.61B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-278.75M-336.69M-324.54M-376.87M-255.09M
Operating Cash Flow-242.47M-274.56M-240.03M-218.02M-127.91M
Investing Cash Flow14.93M128.87M-152.53M124.12M-385.83M
Financing Cash Flow312.81M144.03M300.21M8.60M736.56M

QuantumScape Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price6.85
Price Trends
50DMA
9.97
Negative
100DMA
12.25
Negative
200DMA
10.01
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.93
Positive
RSI
27.91
Positive
STOCH
5.48
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For QS, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 6.85 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 8.43, below the 50-day MA of 9.97, and below the 200-day MA of 10.01, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.93 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 27.91 is Positive, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 5.48 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for QS.

QuantumScape Risk Analysis

QuantumScape disclosed 54 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. QuantumScape reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

QuantumScape Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (61)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
78
Outperform
$1.39B29.7719.14%10.29%-3.90%
61
Neutral
$18.38B12.79-2.54%3.03%1.52%-15.83%
54
Neutral
$1.28B-7.43-68.95%45.98%44.14%
54
Neutral
$620.62M-6.43-33.69%-15.43%
48
Neutral
$195.26M-2.74-71.46%46.09%46.01%
45
Neutral
$785.52M-6.73-23.63%25.24%-12.96%
44
Neutral
$4.30B-9.46-37.39%15.04%
* Consumer Cyclical Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
QS
QuantumScape
6.85
1.85
37.00%
XPEL
XPEL
49.91
8.89
21.67%
INVZ
Innoviz Technologies
0.92
0.13
16.22%
ENVX
Enovix
5.87
-3.95
-40.22%
SES
SES AI Corporation Class A
1.61
0.70
76.92%
SLDP
Solid Power
3.41
2.14
168.50%

QuantumScape Corporate Events

Executive/Board Changes
QuantumScape Co-Founder Fritz Prinz Retires From Board
Neutral
Feb 10, 2026

On February 4, 2026, QuantumScape Corporation announced that Prof. Dr. Fritz Prinz, a co-founder who has served on the board of directors since the company’s founding in 2010, retired from the board effective that same day. The company stated that his retirement was not due to any disagreement regarding QuantumScape’s operations, policies, or practices, indicating a routine leadership transition rather than a sign of internal conflict.

The most recent analyst rating on (QS) stock is a Sell with a $9.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on QuantumScape stock, see the QS Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyExecutive/Board Changes
QuantumScape Adds Veteran Finance Executive to Board
Positive
Jan 30, 2026

On January 29, 2026, QuantumScape Corporation appointed veteran finance and technology executive Geoffrey Ribar to its Board of Directors for a term expiring at the company’s next annual meeting of stockholders, with no committee assignments made at this time. Ribar, who brings more than four decades of experience across the semiconductor and broader technology sectors and currently serves on the boards of MACOM Technology Solutions, Everspin Technologies and Acacia Research, will receive the company’s standard non-employee director compensation package, including $80,000 in annual cash compensation and restricted stock unit grants that vest over time subject to his continued service, underscoring QuantumScape’s move to deepen its board’s financial and technology expertise as it advances its business objectives; the company noted there are no special arrangements, family relationships or related-party transactions connected to his appointment beyond its standard indemnification agreement.

The most recent analyst rating on (QS) stock is a Hold with a $11.50 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on QuantumScape stock, see the QS Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and StrategyDelistings and Listing Changes
QuantumScape to Transfer Stock Listing to Nasdaq
Positive
Dec 10, 2025

On December 10, 2025, QuantumScape Corporation announced its decision to transfer the listing of its Class A Common Stock from the New York Stock Exchange to The Nasdaq Stock Market, effective after the market close on December 22, 2025. Trading on Nasdaq is expected to begin on December 23, 2025, under the ticker symbol ‘QS.’ This strategic move aligns QuantumScape with Nasdaq’s community of innovative companies and is anticipated to enhance shareholder value without disrupting trading activities.

The most recent analyst rating on (QS) stock is a Hold with a $12.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on QuantumScape stock, see the QS Stock Forecast page.

Business Operations and Strategy
QuantumScape Enters Sublease Agreement with Momentus Inc.
Neutral
Dec 8, 2025

On December 3, 2025, QuantumScape Battery, Inc. entered into a Sublease Agreement with Momentus Inc. for a building in San Jose, California, reducing its operational footprint in line with its technology licensing focus. The sublease, which runs until September 30, 2032, is expected to generate approximately $11.5 million in base rent for QuantumScape, with Momentus Inc. responsible for additional expenses and subject to the Master Landlord’s consent.

The most recent analyst rating on (QS) stock is a Hold with a $12.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on QuantumScape stock, see the QS Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Feb 12, 2026