Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare NIO Inc. (NIO) vs XPeng Inc. (XPEV) 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 | XPEV | 33.2% revenue growth vs NIO's 18.2% |
| Quality / Margins | XPEV | -7.1% net margin vs NIO's -35.0% |
| Stability / Safety | NIO | Beta 0.91 vs XPEV's 0.92 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NIO | +5.2% vs XPEV's -18.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | XPEV | -4.6% ROA vs NIO's -24.3%, ROIC -16.9% 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.
XPeng is a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer focused on smart, connected cars with advanced driver-assistance systems. It generates revenue primarily from vehicle sales — with additional income from services like maintenance, charging, and software subscriptions — though the exact segment breakdown isn't publicly detailed. The company's key advantage lies in its vertically integrated software and hardware development, particularly its proprietary XPILOT autonomous driving technology and intelligent cockpit systems.
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
XPEV leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NIO and XPEV operate at a comparable scale, with $69.4B and $60.3B in trailing revenue. XPEV is the more profitable business, keeping -7.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NIO's -35.0%. On growth, XPEV holds the edge at +125.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $69.4B | $60.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$23.0B | -$3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$24.3B | -$4.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $0 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +10.3% | +15.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -32.6% | -8.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -35.0% | -7.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -25.8% | -10.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.0% | +125.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.6% | +26.5% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $10.2B | $6.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $12.3B | $5.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.03x | -9.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 23.07x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.06x | 1.03x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.08x | 1.82x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
XPEV delivers a -14.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-14 in annual profit, vs $-4 for NIO. XPEV carries lower financial leverage with a 0.51x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NIO's 2.50x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), XPEV scores 5/9 vs NIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -3.7% | -14.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -24.3% | -4.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -55.2% | -16.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -41.7% | -14.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.50x | 0.51x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.5B | -$2.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $19.3B | $18.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $33.8B | $15.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -25.29x | -12.31x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in XPEV five years ago would be worth $4,946 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $979 for NIO. Over the past 12 months, NIO leads with a +5.2% total return vs XPEV's -18.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors XPEV at 25.3% vs NIO's -19.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -5.3% | -14.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +5.2% | -18.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -48.1% | +96.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -90.2% | -50.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -26.2% | -17.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -19.7% | +25.3% |
Risk & Volatility
NIO is the less volatile stock with a 0.91 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than XPEV's 0.92 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.91x | 0.92x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.02 | $28.24 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.02 | $16.13 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.7% | +62.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.9 | 45.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 38.8M | 5.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NIO as "Buy" and XPEV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 45.2% upside for XPEV (target: $26) vs 37.6% for NIO (target: $7).
| Metric | NIONIO Inc. | XPEVXPeng Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $6.70 | $25.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 23 | 16 |
| 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 | Sep 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | 100 | 22.47 | -77.5% |
| XPeng Inc. (XPEV) | 101.84 | 77.71 | -23.7% |
XPeng Inc. (XPEV) returned -51% over 5 years vs NIO Inc. (NIO)'s -90%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | $0.00 | $65.7B | — |
| XPeng Inc. (XPEV) | $10M | $40.9B | +420941.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -195.1% | -34.5% | +82.3% |
| XPeng Inc. (XPEV) | -144.1% | -14.2% | +90.2% |
NIO Inc.'s net margin went from -195% (2018) to -34% (2024). XPeng Inc.'s net margin went from -144% (2018) to -14% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIO Inc. (NIO) | -0.5 | -11.03 | -2106.0% |
| XPeng Inc. (XPEV) | -3.12 | -12.24 | -292.3% |
NIO Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.50 (2016) to $-11.03 (2024).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
NIO Inc. generated $-17B FCF in 2024 (-704% vs 2021). XPeng Inc. generated $-4B FCF in 2024 (+18% vs 2021).
NIO vs XPEV: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NIO or XPEV a better buy right now?
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 XPEV?
Over the past 5 years, XPeng Inc. (XPEV) delivered a total return of -50.5%, compared to -90.2% for NIO Inc. (NIO). A $10,000 investment in XPEV five years ago would be worth approximately $5K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: XPEV returned -17.2% 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 XPEV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), NIO Inc. (NIO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.91β versus XPeng Inc.'s 0.92β — meaning XPEV is approximately 2% more volatile than NIO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, XPeng Inc. (XPEV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 51% versus 3% for NIO Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NIO or XPEV?
XPeng Inc. (XPEV) is the more profitable company, earning -14.2% net margin versus -34.5% for NIO Inc. — meaning it keeps -14.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: XPEV leads at -16.3% versus -33.3% for NIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — XPEV leads at 14.3%, 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 XPEV more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for XPEV: 45.2% to $25.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — NIO or XPEV?
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 NIO or XPEV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, NIO Inc. (NIO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.91)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NIO: -26.2%, XPEV: -17.2%), 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 XPEV?
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. 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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