Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Li Auto Inc. (LI) vs Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | LI | 16.7% revenue growth vs TSLA's -2.9% |
| Value | LI | Lower P/E (3.7x vs 202.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | TSLA | 4.0% net margin vs LI's 3.6% |
| Stability / Safety | LI | Beta 0.77 vs TSLA's 2.16 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | TSLA | +37.4% vs LI's -42.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LI | 2.9% ROA vs TSLA's 2.8%, ROIC 209.3% vs 4.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Li Auto is a Chinese premium electric vehicle manufacturer specializing in smart SUVs and MPVs. It generates revenue primarily from vehicle sales — with additional income from charging solutions, accessories, and software services — though vehicle sales dominate its revenue mix. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extended-range electric vehicle technology that eliminates range anxiety, combined with its premium brand positioning in China's growing EV market.
Tesla is an electric vehicle and clean energy company that designs, manufactures, and sells battery-electric vehicles, solar energy systems, and energy storage solutions. It generates most of its revenue from automotive sales—roughly 85%—with the remainder coming from energy generation/storage products and regulatory credit sales. Tesla's key competitive advantage lies in its vertically integrated manufacturing, proprietary battery technology, and industry-leading Supercharger network that creates a comprehensive ecosystem.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
TSLA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). LI leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LI and TSLA operate at a comparable scale, with $125.7B and $94.8B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 4.0% (TSLA) to 3.6% (LI). On growth, TSLA holds the edge at -3.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $125.7B | $94.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.4B | $10.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4.5B | $3.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$7.7B | $6.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.4% | +18.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.3% | +4.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +4.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -6.1% | +6.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -36.5% | -3.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -123.3% | -63.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 16.0x trailing earnings, LI trades at a 96% valuation discount to TSLA's 372.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, LI's 20.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than TSLA's 143.0x.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $35.3B | $1.51T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $28.1B | $1.50T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.00x | 372.69x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 3.73x | 202.78x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 9.62x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.46x | 142.98x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.68x | 15.92x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.80x | 17.19x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 29.53x | 242.74x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LI delivers a 6.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $5 for TSLA. TSLA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.10x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LI's 0.23x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), TSLA scores 6/9 vs LI's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | +4.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.9% | +2.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | +4.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.8% | +4.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.23x | 0.10x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49.6B | -$8.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $65.9B | $16.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $16.3B | $8.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 28.54x | 16.62x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in TSLA five years ago would be worth $16,808 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,802 for LI. Over the past 12 months, TSLA leads with a +37.4% total return vs LI's -42.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TSLA at 25.1% vs LI's -9.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.0% | -8.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -42.8% | +37.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -25.5% | +95.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -32.0% | +68.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.9% | +3044.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -9.3% | +25.1% |
Risk & Volatility
LI is the less volatile stock with a 0.77 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than TSLA's 2.16 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TSLA currently trades 80.7% from its 52-week high vs LI's 54.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 2.16x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.03 | $498.83 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.71 | $214.25 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +54.9% | +80.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.4 | 44.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.5M | 52.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LI as "Hold" and TSLA as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 22.9% upside for LI (target: $22) vs 14.0% for TSLA (target: $459).
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $21.62 | $458.67 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 80 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jul 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | 100 | 100.49 | +0.5% |
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | 100 | 426.07 | +326.1% |
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) returned +68% over 5 years vs Li Auto Inc. (LI)'s -32%. A $10,000 investment in TSLA 5 years ago would be worth $16,808 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | $0.00 | $144.5B | — |
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | $7.0B | $94.8B | +1254.6% |
Tesla, Inc.'s revenue grew from $7.0B (2016) to $94.8B (2025) — a 33.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | -8.6% | 5.6% | +164.8% |
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | -9.6% | 4.0% | +141.5% |
Tesla, Inc.'s net margin went from -10% (2016) to 4% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | 216.1 | 416.4 | +92.7% |
Tesla, Inc. has traded in a 34x–416x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~373x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | -2.12 | 7.54 | +455.7% |
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | -0.31 | 1.08 | +448.4% |
Tesla, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.31 (2016) to $1.08 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Li Auto Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2024 (+68% vs 2021). Tesla, Inc. generated $6B FCF in 2025 (+79% vs 2021).
LI vs TSLA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LI or TSLA a better buy right now?
Li Auto Inc. (LI) offers the better valuation at 16.0x trailing P/E (3.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Li Auto Inc. (LI) a "Hold" — based on 15 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — LI or TSLA?
On trailing P/E, Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the cheapest at 16.0x versus Tesla, Inc. at 372.7x. On forward P/E, Li Auto Inc. is actually cheaper at 3.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LI or TSLA?
Over the past 5 years, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) delivered a total return of +68.1%, compared to -32.0% for Li Auto Inc. (LI). A $10,000 investment in TSLA five years ago would be worth approximately $17K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TSLA returned +30.4% versus LI's +6.9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — LI or TSLA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.77β versus Tesla, Inc.'s 2.16β — meaning TSLA is approximately 181% more volatile than LI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 23% for Li Auto Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LI or TSLA?
Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the more profitable company, earning 5.6% net margin versus 4.0% for Tesla, Inc. — meaning it keeps 5.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TSLA leads at 4.6% versus 4.4% for LI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LI leads at 20.5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is LI or TSLA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Li Auto Inc. (LI) trades at 3.7x forward P/E versus 202.8x for Tesla, Inc. — 199.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LI: 22.9% to $21.62.
07Which pays a better dividend — LI or TSLA?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is LI or TSLA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.77)). Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) carries a higher beta of 2.16 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LI: +6.9%, TSLA: +30.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between LI and TSLA?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: LI is a mid-cap deep-value stock; TSLA is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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