GAC GROUP Establishes Guangdong Huilun Tech in Collaboration with Multiple Partners Across Different Robotics Industries

Company Establishment: Guangdong Huilun Technology, a joint venture between GAC GROUP and Guangzhou Lunbu Investment Partnership, has been established with a registered capital of RMB83.02 million.

Business Focus: The company specializes in the sales and manufacturing of service consumption robots, special task robots, industrial robots, and the R&D of intelligent robots.

Stock Ratings Overview: Various companies in the automotive sector, including BYD, Li Auto, XPeng, and Fuyao Glass, received "Buy" ratings with adjusted target prices reflecting recent market performance.

Short Selling Activity: Significant short selling activity was noted for several companies, with Li Auto and Minth Group showing high short selling ratios of 34.55% and 21.42%, respectively.

Neutral and Sell Ratings: NIO, Tuopu Group, and Huayu Automotive received "Neutral" or "Sell" ratings, indicating a cautious outlook on their stock performance.

Market Pressures: CLSA reported that rising costs are further compressing automaker profits, with companies like BYD and Leapmotor positioned better to absorb these pressures.

Commodity Price Impact: Commodity prices have risen significantly, benefiting the basic materials sector in China, particularly suppliers of aluminum, copper, and lithium, with positive ratings for companies like CHALCO and MMG.

Automakers Under Pressure: Rising material costs are expected to increase the production costs for mass-market electric vehicles, with smaller automakers like XPENG and GAC GROUP being more vulnerable compared to larger firms like BYD and Geely.

Battery Industry Outlook: Short-term challenges are anticipated for second-tier battery companies, while CATL is expected to maintain a strong position due to its bargaining power and upcoming production resumption.

Tech Sector Challenges: Xiaomi may face margin pressures from increasing memory costs, which significantly impact the bill of materials for its smartphones, potentially affecting profitability.

Projected Losses: GAC GROUP anticipates a net loss attributable to shareholders for 2025 between RMB8 billion and RMB9 billion, significantly higher than BofA Securities' estimate of RMB3.9 billion.

Core Net Loss Estimates: Excluding one-off items, the core net loss is expected to be between RMB8.9 billion and RMB9.9 billion, with a projected net loss for Q4 2025 of RMB3.7 billion to RMB4.7 billion, contrasting with a net profit of RMB704 million in Q4 2024.

Broker Ratings: UBS has set a target price of $4.2 for GAC GROUP while maintaining a neutral rating, citing ongoing intense competition that will likely compress profit margins.

Future Profitability Concerns: UBS predicts that profitability for GAC GROUP will remain thin in 2026 and 2027, with target prices of $3.1 for H-shares and RMB5.9 for A-shares.

Citi's Outlook on Chinese Carmakers: Citi has a neutral outlook for Chinese carmakers in 1Q26, predicting that BYD, Geely, and Leapmotor may outperform the market due to model updates and strong export growth, while others like Seres and Li Auto may struggle with profit margins and weak sales.

Industry Challenges and Tailwinds: The Chinese auto industry is expected to face five major tailwinds, including increased EV market share and export growth, but also five challenges such as rising costs and cautious retail growth for EVs, leading to a potential decline in wholesale and retail forecasts for FY26.

Stock Recommendations: Citi has recommended several stocks, including BYD, Pony, WeRide, Hesai, Minth Group, and Weichai Power, amidst a backdrop of short selling activity and varying market performance.

Market Conditions: The report highlights a potential end to the price war in passenger vehicles and a favorable phase for commercial vehicle demand, while also noting high inventory levels of fuel vehicles as a concern for the market.

GAC Aion and Didi Collaboration: GAC Aion, a subsidiary of GAC GROUP, has partnered with Didi Autonomous Driving to launch the new L4-level Robotaxi model R2, which has received road test licenses in Guangzhou.

Deployment Plans: The R2 model is set to be progressively introduced for demonstration purposes in cities like Guangzhou and Beijing, aiming to integrate into the urban smart mobility network this year.