Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare NIO Inc. (NIO) vs General Motors Company (GM) 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 GM's -1.3% |
| Quality / Margins | GM | 1.8% net margin vs NIO's -35.0% |
| Stability / Safety | GM | Beta 0.89 vs NIO's 0.91, lower leverage |
| Dividends | GM | 0.9% yield; 4-year raise streak; NIO pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GM | +61.4% vs NIO's +5.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GM | 1.2% ROA vs NIO's -24.3%, ROIC 1.3% 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
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.
General Motors is a global automotive manufacturer that designs, builds, and sells vehicles under brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. It generates revenue primarily from vehicle sales — with North America contributing about 80% of automotive revenue — supplemented by financing operations through GM Financial and connected services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale and manufacturing efficiency, established dealer network, and growing investments in electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology through its Cruise subsidiary.
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
GM leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Valuation Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GM is the larger business by revenue, generating $185.0B annually — 2.7x NIO's $69.4B. GM is the more profitable business, keeping 1.8% 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 | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $69.4B | $185.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$23.0B | $17.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$24.3B | $3.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $11.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +10.3% | +6.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -32.6% | +1.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -35.0% | +1.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -25.8% | +6.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.0% | -5.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.6% | -135.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.2B | $71.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.3B | $180.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.03x | 24.07x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 6.40x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 12.12x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.06x | 0.38x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.08x | 1.21x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 6.43x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GM delivers a 5.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NIO. GM carries lower financial leverage with a 2.06x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NIO's 2.50x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GM scores 6/9 vs NIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.7% | +5.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -24.3% | +1.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -55.2% | +1.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -41.7% | +1.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.50x | 2.06x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.5B | $109.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $19.3B | $20.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $33.8B | $130.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -25.29x | 3.79x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GM five years ago would be worth $15,284 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $979 for NIO. Over the past 12 months, GM leads with a +61.4% total return vs NIO's +5.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GM at 27.4% vs NIO's -19.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -5.3% | -2.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +5.2% | +61.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -48.1% | +106.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -90.2% | +52.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -26.2% | +194.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -19.7% | +27.4% |
Risk & Volatility
GM is the less volatile stock with a 0.89 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. GM currently trades 89.8% from its 52-week high vs NIO's 60.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.91x | 0.89x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.02 | $87.62 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.02 | $41.60 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.7% | +89.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.9 | 47.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 38.8M | 6.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NIO as "Buy" and GM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.6% upside for NIO (target: $7) vs 14.3% for GM (target: $90). GM is the only dividend payer here at 0.86% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | GMGeneral Motors Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $6.70 | $89.93 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 23 | 51 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.68 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +8.5% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | 100 | 109.98 | +10.0% |
| General Motors Comp… (GM) | 100 | 268.2 | +168.2% |
General Motors Comp… (GM) returned +53% over 5 years vs NIO Inc. (NIO)'s -90%. A $10,000 investment in GM 5 years ago would be worth $15,284 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | $0.00 | $65.7B | — |
| General Motors Comp… (GM) | $166.4B | $185.0B | +11.2% |
General Motors Company's revenue grew from $166.4B (2016) to $185.0B (2025) — a 1.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -195.1% | -34.5% | +82.3% |
| General Motors Comp… (GM) | 5.7% | 1.5% | -74.3% |
General Motors Company's net margin went from 6% (2016) to 1% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors Comp… (GM) | 6 | 24.9 | +315.0% |
General Motors Company has traded in a 5x–25x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~24x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -0.5 | -11.03 | -2106.0% |
| General Motors Comp… (GM) | 6 | 3.27 | -45.5% |
General Motors Company's EPS grew from $6.00 (2016) to $3.27 (2025) — a -7% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
NIO Inc. generated $-17B FCF in 2024 (-704% vs 2021). General Motors Company generated $11B FCF in 2025 (+260% vs 2021).
NIO vs GM: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NIO or GM a better buy right now?
General Motors Company (GM) offers the better valuation at 24.1x trailing P/E (6.4x 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 — NIO or GM?
Over the past 5 years, General Motors Company (GM) delivered a total return of +52.8%, compared to -90.2% for NIO Inc. (NIO). A $10,000 investment in GM five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GM returned +194.7% 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 — NIO or GM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), General Motors Company (GM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.89β versus NIO Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning NIO is approximately 2% more volatile than GM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, General Motors Company (GM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 3% for NIO Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NIO or GM?
General Motors Company (GM) is the more profitable company, earning 1.5% net margin versus -34.5% for NIO Inc. — meaning it keeps 1.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GM leads at 1.6% versus -33.3% for NIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NIO leads at 9.9%, 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 NIO or GM more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NIO: 37.6% to $6.70.
06Which pays a better dividend — NIO or GM?
In this comparison, GM (0.9% yield) pays a dividend. NIO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is NIO or GM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, General Motors Company (GM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.89), 0.9% yield, +194.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GM: +194.7%, 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 NIO and GM?
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. GM pays a dividend while NIO does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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