Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Li Auto Inc. (LI) vs NIO Inc. (NIO) 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 | NIO | 18.2% revenue growth vs LI's 16.7% |
| Quality / Margins | LI | 3.6% net margin vs NIO's -35.0% |
| Stability / Safety | LI | Beta 0.77 vs NIO's 0.91, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NIO | +5.2% vs LI's -42.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LI | 2.9% ROA vs NIO's -24.3%, ROIC 209.3% vs -55.2% |
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.
NIO is a Chinese premium electric vehicle manufacturer that designs, develops, and sells smart electric cars along with a comprehensive ecosystem of charging and service solutions. The company generates revenue primarily from vehicle sales—including SUVs and sedans—and secondarily from its innovative battery-as-a-service (BaaS) subscription model and energy solutions like its unique battery swap stations. NIO's key competitive advantage lies in its premium brand positioning, integrated user ecosystem—featuring its exclusive NIO Houses and mobile app community—and its pioneering battery swap technology that addresses range anxiety through rapid battery replacement.
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
LI leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NIO leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LI is the larger business by revenue, generating $125.7B annually — 1.8x NIO's $69.4B. LI is the more profitable business, keeping 3.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NIO's -35.0%. On growth, NIO holds the edge at +9.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $125.7B | $69.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.4B | -$23.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4.5B | -$24.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$7.7B | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.4% | +10.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.3% | -32.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | -35.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -6.1% | -25.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -36.5% | +9.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -123.3% | +7.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $35.3B | $10.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $28.1B | $12.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.00x | -3.03x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 3.73x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.46x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.68x | 1.06x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.80x | 5.08x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 29.53x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
LI delivers a 6.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NIO. LI carries lower financial leverage with a 0.23x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NIO's 2.50x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LI scores 5/9 vs NIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | -3.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.9% | -24.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | -55.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.8% | -41.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.23x | 2.50x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49.6B | $14.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $65.9B | $19.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $16.3B | $33.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 28.54x | -25.29x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LI five years ago would be worth $6,802 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $979 for NIO. Over the past 12 months, NIO leads with a +5.2% total return vs LI's -42.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LI at -9.3% vs NIO's -19.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.0% | -5.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -42.8% | +5.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -25.5% | -48.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -32.0% | -90.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.9% | -26.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -9.3% | -19.7% |
Risk & Volatility
LI is the less volatile stock with a 0.77 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NIO's 0.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NIO currently trades 60.7% 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. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.03 | $8.02 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.71 | $3.02 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +54.9% | +60.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.4 | 54.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.5M | 38.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LI as "Hold" and NIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.6% upside for NIO (target: $7) vs 22.9% for LI (target: $22).
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | NIONIO Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $21.62 | $6.70 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 23 |
| 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% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | 100 | 33.24 | -66.8% |
Li Auto Inc. (LI) returned -32% over 5 years vs NIO Inc. (NIO)'s -90%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | $0.00 | $144.5B | — |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | $0.00 | $65.7B | — |
NIO Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $65.7B (2024) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | -8.6% | 5.6% | +164.8% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -195.1% | -34.5% | +82.3% |
NIO Inc.'s net margin went from -195% (2018) to -34% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | -2.12 | 7.54 | +455.7% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -0.5 | -11.03 | -2106.0% |
NIO Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.50 (2016) to $-11.03 (2024).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Li Auto Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2024 (+68% vs 2021). NIO Inc. generated $-17B FCF in 2024 (-704% vs 2021).
LI vs NIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LI or NIO 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 NIO Inc. (NIO) a "Buy" — based on 23 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 is the better long-term investment — LI or NIO?
Over the past 5 years, Li Auto Inc. (LI) delivered a total return of -32.0%, compared to -90.2% for NIO Inc. (NIO). A $10,000 investment in LI five years ago would be worth approximately $7K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LI returned +6.9% versus NIO's -26.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — LI or NIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the lower-risk stock at 0.77β versus NIO Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning NIO is approximately 18% more volatile than LI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Li Auto Inc. (LI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 3% for NIO Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — LI or NIO?
Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the more profitable company, earning 5.6% net margin versus -34.5% for NIO Inc. — meaning it keeps 5.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LI leads at 4.4% versus -33.3% for NIO. 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.
05Is LI or NIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NIO: 37.6% to $6.70.
06Which pays a better dividend — LI or NIO?
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.
07Is LI or NIO 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)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LI: +6.9%, NIO: -26.2%), 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.
08What are the main differences between LI and NIO?
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; NIO is a mid-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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