Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Li Auto Inc. (LI) vs Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) vs NIO Inc. (NIO) vs VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS) vs ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited (ZK) 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 | VFS | 57.9% revenue growth vs TSLA's -2.9% |
| Value | ZK | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | TSLA | 4.0% net margin vs VFS's -137.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ZK | Beta 0.68 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 VFS's -50.4%, ROIC 209.3% vs -78.9% |
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.
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.
VinFast is a Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer that designs and produces EVs, e-scooters, and e-buses primarily for the Vietnamese market with expansion into North America. It generates revenue through vehicle sales—with cars being the dominant segment—alongside battery leasing and charging services for its products. The company benefits from being part of Vietnam's largest conglomerate, Vingroup, which provides capital and local market advantages.
Zeekr Intelligent Technology is a premium electric vehicle manufacturer that designs, produces, and sells battery electric passenger cars and SUVs. It generates revenue primarily from vehicle sales—including its flagship Zeekr 001 and 009 models—alongside sales of electric powertrain components and battery packs. The company benefits from its vertical integration with parent company Geely's manufacturing scale and its focus on the premium segment of China's rapidly growing EV market.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
TSLA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). ZK leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VFS is the larger business by revenue, generating $67.43T annually — 971.3x NIO's $69.4B. TSLA is the more profitable business, keeping 4.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VFS's -137.0%. On growth, VFS holds the edge at +46.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $125.7B | $94.8B | $69.4B | $67.43T | $90.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $5.4B | $10.5B | -$23.0B | -$55.31T | -$2.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $4.5B | $3.8B | -$24.3B | -$92.40T | -$3.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$7.7B | $6.2B | $0 | -$58.50T | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +19.4% | +18.0% | +10.3% | -53.0% | +18.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.3% | +4.6% | -32.6% | -98.1% | -4.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +4.0% | -35.0% | -137.0% | -3.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -6.1% | +6.6% | -25.8% | -86.8% | +2.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -36.5% | -3.1% | +9.0% | +46.1% | +36.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -123.3% | -63.5% | +7.6% | -80.1% | +83.8% |
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. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $35.3B | $1.51T | $10.2B | $7.6B | $6.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $28.1B | $1.50T | $12.3B | $13.1B | $14.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.00x | 372.69x | -3.03x | -2.57x | -0.98x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 3.73x | 202.78x | — | — | 2.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 9.62x | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 20.46x | 142.98x | — | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.68x | 15.92x | 1.06x | 4.52x | 0.09x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.80x | 17.19x | 5.08x | — | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 29.53x | 242.74x | — | — | 4.61x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LI delivers a 6.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $6 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NIO. TSLA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.10x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NIO's 2.50x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), TSLA scores 6/9 vs VFS's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.2% | +4.6% | -3.7% | — | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.9% | +2.8% | -24.3% | -50.4% | -5.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.1% | +4.5% | -55.2% | -78.9% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.8% | +4.4% | -41.7% | — | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.23x | 0.10x | 2.50x | — | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49.6B | -$8.1B | $14.5B | $143.09T | $7.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $65.9B | $16.5B | $19.3B | $3.31T | $7.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $16.3B | $8.4B | $33.8B | $146.40T | $15.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 28.54x | 16.62x | -25.29x | -3.52x | -14.40x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in TSLA five years ago would be worth $16,808 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $979 for NIO. 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 VFS's -32.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +2.0% | -8.1% | -5.3% | -3.6% | — |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -42.8% | +37.4% | +5.2% | -9.9% | -0.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -25.5% | +95.7% | -48.1% | -68.8% | -5.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -32.0% | +68.1% | -90.2% | -68.8% | -5.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.9% | +3044.6% | -26.2% | -68.8% | -5.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -9.3% | +25.1% | -19.7% | -32.2% | -1.8% |
Risk & Volatility
ZK is the less volatile stock with a 0.68 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. VFS currently trades 85.3% 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. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 2.16x | 0.91x | 0.79x | 0.68x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.03 | $498.83 | $8.02 | $3.82 | $33.32 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.71 | $214.25 | $3.02 | $2.56 | $17.91 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +54.9% | +80.7% | +60.7% | +85.3% | +80.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.4 | 44.1 | 54.9 | 46.5 | 40.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.5M | 52.3M | 38.8M | 252K | 0 |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: LI as "Hold", TSLA as "Hold", NIO as "Buy", VFS as "Buy", ZK as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 99.4% upside for VFS (target: $7) vs 14.0% for TSLA (target: $459).
| Metric | LILi Auto Inc. | TSLATesla, Inc. | NIONIO Inc. | VFSVinFast Auto Ltd. | ZKZEEKR Intelligent… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $21.62 | $458.67 | $6.70 | $6.50 | $33.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 15 | 80 | 23 | 4 | 2 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | +2.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jun 24 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Auto Inc. (LI) | 100 | 80.92 | -19.1% |
| Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) | 100 | 239.27 | +139.3% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | 100 | 84.64 | -15.4% |
| VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS) | 100 | 67.76 | -32.2% |
| ZEEKR Intelligent T… (ZK) | 90.66 | 94.52 | +4.3% |
Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) returned +68% over 5 years vs NIO Inc. (NIO)'s -90%. 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% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | $0.00 | $65.7B | — |
| VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS) | $13.7T | $44.0T | +221.5% |
| ZEEKR Intelligent T… (ZK) | $3.2B | $75.9B | +2283.4% |
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% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -195.1% | -34.5% | +82.3% |
| VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS) | -138.4% | -175.5% | -26.8% |
| ZEEKR Intelligent T… (ZK) | 3.3% | -8.5% | -360.1% |
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% |
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -0.5 | -11.03 | -2106.0% |
| VinFast Auto Ltd. (VFS) | -8,160.27 | -33,042 | -304.9% |
| ZEEKR Intelligent T… (ZK) | 0.42 | -27.3 | -6600.0% |
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 vs NIO vs VFS vs ZK: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LI or TSLA or NIO or VFS or ZK 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 has the better valuation — LI or TSLA or NIO or VFS or ZK?
On trailing P/E, Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the cheapest at 16.0x versus Tesla, Inc. at 372.7x. On forward P/E, ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 2.3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LI or TSLA or NIO or VFS or ZK?
Over the past 5 years, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) delivered a total return of +68.1%, compared to -90.2% for NIO Inc. (NIO). 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 VFS's -68.8%. 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 or NIO or VFS or ZK?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited (ZK) is the lower-risk stock at 0.68β versus Tesla, Inc.'s 2.16β — meaning TSLA is approximately 217% more volatile than ZK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 10% versus 3% for NIO Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LI or TSLA or NIO or VFS or ZK?
Li Auto Inc. (LI) is the more profitable company, earning 5.6% net margin versus -175.5% for VinFast Auto Ltd. — 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 -125.9% for VFS. 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 or NIO or VFS or ZK more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited (ZK) trades at 2.3x forward P/E versus 202.8x for Tesla, Inc. — 200.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VFS: 99.4% to $6.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — LI or TSLA or NIO or VFS or ZK?
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 or NIO or VFS or ZK better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited (ZK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.68)). 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 (ZK: -5.4%, 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 and NIO and VFS and ZK?
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; NIO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; VFS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ZK is a small-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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