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NIO.NYSE
Nio Inc
Consumer Cyclical · Auto Manufacturers

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer ADR trading on NYSE. Designs and manufactures premium smart electric SUVs and sedans with battery swapping technology.

HQ: ChinaListed: United States

AI Consensus

On this page, you will be able to compare multi-agent consensus ratings, forecast paths, AI price targets, expected return, fundamentals, analyst disagreement, risks, and the investment thesis across short- and long-term horizons.

AI Consensus Investment Thesis

Nio Inc (NIO) Stock Forecast and AI Rating

Deep analysis published Returns refreshed
1-Year and 5-Year Forecast Outlook

Forecast targets and rating

Final recommendation

Hold & Monitor

Model signals are balanced; wait for clearer evidence.

2027

1-Year

NEUTRAL

$5.81

+25.9%
2031

5-Year

NEUTRAL

$11

+145.0%

Latest flagship insight

How Hidden Infrastructure Moats Are Quietly Rewriting the Electric Vehicle Playbook

A sharp divergence exists regarding this asset's outlook. While some highlight severe balance sheet leverage and persistent dilution, others point to a structural inflection in domestic volume scaling and battery infrastructure monetization. Geopolitical trade barriers remain a primary risk, while emerging market expansion serves as the key driver.

LATEST PUBLISHED DEEP ANALYSIS BY iPULSE AI ENGINE

This is the latest published deep-analysis batch. Audit previous forecasts in full transparency

Warren Buffett (Value Purist) advisor portraitSuperintelligence (Anthropologist) advisor portraitRay Dalio (Strategist) advisor portraitMachiavelli (Insider) advisor portraitElon Musk (Visionary) advisor portraitMichael Burry (Vulture) advisor portraitJ.P. Morgan (Titan) advisor portraitSherlock Holmes (Whistleblower) advisor portrait

Warren Buffett (Value Purist), Superintelligence (Anthropologist), Ray Dalio (Strategist), Machiavelli (Insider), Elon Musk (Visionary), Michael Burry (Vulture), J.P. Morgan (Titan), Sherlock Holmes (Whistleblower). Some archetypes run in multiple modes, resulting in 12 advisors total.

Research support only. We don't give financial advice.

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Executive Summary

Dotted terms open concise definitions. Browse technical terms

Expert Language
Explained Simply

Interactive forecast chart

Figure: Five-year interactive consensus forecast for Nio Inc, including the advisor-disagreement range and benchmark comparison. Sign in, verify your email, and use the required subscription to explore the chart.

The asset presents a highly polarized setup, caught between severe distress and a structural operational inflection. While a crushing debt-to-equity ratio of 6.31 and persistent present existential refinancing risks under a restrictive , recent Q1 data reveals a massive 112% top-line acceleration and sequential vehicle to 18.8%. The core investment thesis hinges on whether the rapid scaling of mass-market sub-brands and localized battery-swapping monetization can achieve self-sustaining cash flow before upcoming debt maturities force highly .

Key insights

  • is inflecting as mass-market sub-brands scale and amortize heavy fixed infrastructure costs.
  • The proprietary battery-swapping network is transitioning from a capital-intensive liability into a high-margin utility moat.
  • Severe leverage and a current ratio of 0.98 present acute refinancing risks.
  • Geopolitical trade barriers and punitive Western tariffs structurally restrict the high-margin export .
  • Sovereign Middle Eastern capital provides a critical liquidity backstop, mitigating near-term insolvency risks.
  • Disagreements persist regarding whether recent margin improvements represent a structural turnaround or accounting maneuvers.
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AI Consensus
AI Forecasts
Company Profile

Alpha Gap & Repricing Catalysts

Where does the current market narrative diverge from our AI Forecasts—and what could close the gap?

Market Narrative

What does the market currently expect? The conventional market narrative is highly polarized, split between retail optimism and institutional skepticism. On one side, retail investors and media commentators are anchored to the company's explosive top-line delivery growth and recent sequential recovery, viewing the deeply depressed valuation multiples as a generational turnaround opportunity. This crowd believes that sovereign wealth backing and the global transition to electric vehicles will inevitably bail out the company's financial deficits. Conversely, mainstream sell-side analysts focus heavily on historical , treating the capital-heavy battery-swapping network as a terminal capital sink and assuming Western tariffs will permanently block global expansion.

Alpha Gap

What is the biggest difference between market expectations and our AI forecasts? The core information gap lies in distinguishing between historical and the real-time operational inflection. While the crowd remains focused on past and the threat of imminent insolvency, they systematically overlook the structural shift in operational leverage. Recent data reveals that vehicle margins have expanded to 18.8% as the mass-market volume ramp begins to absorb heavy fixed infrastructure costs. Furthermore, the market mischaracterizes the battery-swapping network as a perpetual cost center, failing to recognize its transition into a high-margin energy utility. Additionally, the crowd misses the strategic significance of the upcoming hybrid vehicle rollout, which is specifically designed to bypass punitive Western tariffs and unlock high-margin international markets.

Repricing Catalyst

What could make the market recognize and close that gap? The primary catalyst to force a market re-rating will be consecutive quarters of reported GAAP operating profitability and positive , expected to materialize within the next 12 to 18 months. When the company demonstrates it can internally fund its operations and service its debt without relying on , the insolvency thesis will evaporate. This operational milestone will be heavily driven by the volume scaling of mass-market sub-brands and the official launch of tariff-bypassing hybrid models in offshore markets, forcing short-sellers to capitulate.

Sentiment and Timing

What do sentiment, volatility, and the market-recognition cycle suggest about the thesis timing?

Greed / Fear
Fear
Volatility
High Erratic
Cycle position
Mixed

Market sentiment is highly fragmented. While short-sellers and distressed-debt analysts exhibit extreme fear regarding the company's leverage and risk, growth-oriented investors show growing optimism, citing the recent volume inflection and positive as signs of an early-stage turnaround.

Macro Regime Fit

Does the current market environment support the thesis? The macroeconomic backdrop presents a highly complex, dual-regime setup. The restrictive monetary policy and higher-for-longer interest rate environment act as a severe headwind, punishing the company's heavily leveraged and increasing . However, the geopolitical environment and energy sector dynamics serve as a powerful tailwind. The global and elevated fossil fuel costs structurally accelerate electric vehicle adoption as a national security imperative in non-Western regions. This demand-side tailwind helps offset the friction of Western trade barriers.

Advisor Disagreement

What do our AI Advisors disagree about most? The primary disagreement across the reports centers on the sustainability of the company's recent margin improvements and the true health of its . Bullish perspectives emphasize the Q1 2026 operational inflection, viewing the positive and 18.8% vehicle margins as proof of a structural turnaround. Conversely, bearish analyses argue that these margins are temporary accounting artifacts manufactured by shifting battery depreciation off-balance-sheet to affiliates. Additionally, there is significant debate over whether Middle Eastern sovereign backing represents a permanent safety net or a highly dilutive mechanism that will ultimately disadvantage minority public shareholders.

Base-Case Forces

Near-certain positive forces

Top Drivers / Tailwinds

Near-certain forces that support the investment thesis. These forces are treated as part of the base case (more than 60% probability of occurrence). Impact columns are specific to this asset class.

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Top Drivers / Tailwinds with asset-specific estimated impacts and thesis rationale
Driver / TailwindCategoryEst. stock-price impactEst. earnings impactWhy it matters
Multi-Brand Volume ScalingOperational Efficiency+45%+50%The rapid scaling of mass-market sub-brands like Onvo and Firefly is structurally shifting the company from a niche premium player to a high-volume manufacturer. This volume surge maximizes factory utilization and amortizes heavy fixed R&D and depreciation costs, driving significant and sequential . This strategy allows the company to capture massive domestic mass- without cannibalizing its high-margin premium core.
Battery-as-a-Service MonetizationCompetitive Positioning+30%+35%The proprietary Battery-as-a-Service swapping network is transitioning from a capital-intensive drag into a high-margin moat. As station utilization crosses the breakeven threshold, the network functions as a grid-interactive energy utility, locking in customers and attracting licensing interest from external automakers. This infrastructure forms a durable barrier to entry that legacy competitors cannot easily replicate without massive capital outlays.
Sovereign Capital BackstopCapital Allocation+25%+15%Massive equity injections and strategic partnerships with Middle Eastern provide a critical liquidity buffer. This state-level backing fundamentally de-risks the , ensuring access to capital and capabilities despite a highly restrictive global monetary environment. This sovereign alliance also opens up new, tariff-free emerging markets that are insulated from Western trade barriers.
Tariff-Bypassing Product InnovationInnovation And Product+20%+25%The strategic pivot to launch Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREVs) in international markets allows the company to bypass punitive Western pure-EV tariffs. This product agility unlocks a massive, high-margin global in regions where charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped. By exploiting hybrid exemptions in trade barriers, the company secures an unpriced pipeline that could fundamentally alter its long-term revenue trajectory.

Near-certain negative forces

Top Frictions / Headwinds

Near-certain forces that could slow, cap, or damage the thesis. These forces are treated as part of the base case (more than 60% probability of occurrence). Impact columns are specific to this asset class.

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Top Frictions / Headwinds with asset-specific estimated impacts and thesis rationale
Friction / HeadwindCategoryEst. stock-price impactEst. earnings impactWhy it matters
Extreme LeverageCapital Allocation-40%-30%A crushing debt-to-equity ratio of 6.31 and a current ratio of 0.98 present severe structural vulnerabilities. Under a restrictive , elevated interest expenses consume a substantial portion of gross profits, creating acute refinancing risks and threatening highly . This extreme leverage amplifies and restricts the company's ability to aggressively absorb short-term losses during price wars.
Punitive Western Tariff BarriersRegulatory-35%-30%Aggressive protectionist tariffs in the US and European Union structurally restrict the company's access to high-margin Western consumer markets. This geopolitical fencing limits the global , forcing a reliance on highly competitive domestic and lower-margin emerging markets. This regulatory hostility caps the speed of global network expansion and diverts capital toward localized distribution rather than centralized R&D.
Hyper-Competitive Domestic Price WarsCompetitive Positioning-25%-30%The Chinese domestic electric vehicle market is locked in a zero-sum characterized by structural overcapacity and aggressive discounting by vertically integrated competitors. This intense rivalry limits , keeping under constant pressure and delaying sustained profitability. The relentless discounting by major entrants acts as a constant gravitational pull on vehicle margins, eroding overall .
Macroeconomic DragMacroeconomic And Macrofinancial-15%-15%Persistent global inflation and restrictive central bank policies elevate the while squeezing budgets. This macroeconomic malaise stretches out automotive replacement cycles and dampens aggregate demand for premium vehicle models. Elevated discount rates compress the valuation multiples assigned to long-duration cash flows, while higher financing costs for auto loans mechanically suppress consumer demand.

What Could Break or Accelerate the Thesis

Plausible downside scenarios

Tail Risks

Tail yet plausible downside scenarios selected for their highest potential impact.

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Tail risks with plausibility, asset-specific potential impact, exposure category, and scenario rationale
Tail scenarioChance of OccurringStock Price ImpactExposure categoryWhy plausible / what changes
Refinancing Failure and Restructuring30%-80%Capital AllocationA severe tightening of global credit markets combined with an operational slowdown prevents the company from refinancing its upcoming debt maturities. Shut out of capital markets, the company is forced into a court-led debt restructuring that equitizes liabilities and effectively wipes out common equity holders. This catastrophic would transfer ownership to distressed debt vultures, leaving current ADR holders with near-zero recovery values.
Complete Western Connected-Vehicle Ban25%-50%Political And GeopoliticalWestern regulators escalate trade tensions by enacting a total, permanent ban on all Chinese connected-vehicle software and hardware architectures due to national security concerns. This complete exclusion would freeze the company's Western footprint, write off hundreds of millions in sunk expansion capital, and potentially force a delisting of the ADR, leaving the stock orphaned and untradeable for Western capital.

Plausible upside scenarios

Tail Opportunities

Tail yet plausible upside scenarios selected for their highest potential impact.

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Tail opportunities with plausibility, asset-specific potential impact, exposure category, and scenario rationale
Tail scenarioChance of OccurringStock Price ImpactExposure categoryWhy plausible / what changes
Universal Infrastructure Licensing Pact25%+60%Sector And IndustryA breakthrough agreement where multiple major global legacy automakers adopt and license the company's battery-swapping architecture as an industry standard. This would instantly transform the business model from a capital-heavy manufacturer into an asset-light, high-margin technology and energy infrastructure platform. This structural pivot would unlock massive, high-margin streams with near-zero marginal operational cost, triggering a profound re-rating of the entire corporate valuation framework.
Sovereign Take-Private Buyout15%+70%Capital AllocationA Middle Eastern , seeking to fully internalize the company's smart-mobility and autonomous driving technology, executes a full take-private buyout of the remaining public at a substantial premium. This event would instantly bail out common equity holders and remove the asset from public market scrutiny, allowing the sovereign entity to fund global expansion without public market pressure.

Company Financial Analysis

Nio Inc Earnings and Financials Analysis by AI

Financial figures available as of Jul 05, 2026. Only filings and source records available by this analysis date are included.

Earnings and financials

The company's financial performance shows a dramatic split between explosive sales growth and deep underlying losses. On the positive side, recent sales have surged by over 110% year-over-year, driven by the successful launch of new, cheaper car brands. Some financial reports celebrate this as a major turning point, pointing to a small operating profit and rising profit margins on vehicles. However, other reports warn that this financial success is a temporary illusion. They argue that the company is hiding massive battery depreciation costs off its balance sheet through affiliate partnerships. While there is agreement that sales volume is growing rapidly, there is a sharp clash over whether the company is genuinely on the path to long-term profitability or simply burning through cash under the hood. Retail investors should remain cautious, as true net income remains deeply negative.

Revenue, earnings, and cash flow

The table compares up to five fiscal years of revenue, net income, and free cash flow available to this analysis.

Revenue, net income, and free cash flow history
Fiscal yearRevenueNet incomeFree cash flow
2025CNY 85.1BCNY -14.6BCNY -3.1B
2024CNY 65.7BCNY -22.7BCNY -17B
2023CNY 55.6BCNY -21.1BCNY -15.7B
2022CNY 49.3BCNY -14.6BCNY -10.8B
2021CNY 36.1BCNY -10.6BCNY -2.1B

Valuation context: historical P/E

The table compares up to five fiscal years of point-in-time valuation evidence available to this analysis.

Historical price-to-earnings ratios
Fiscal yearP/EEarnings basisCurrency basisTicker / reporting
2025--TTMLoss-makingUSD / CNY
2024--TTMLoss-makingUSD / CNY
2023--TTMLoss-makingUSD / CNY
2022--AnnualLoss-makingUSD / CNY
2021--AnnualLoss-makingUSD / CNY

P/E uses historical market capitalization and earnings known at each period. Cross-currency observations are normalized to USD using point-in-time FX rates.

Profitability and margins

The company's profit margins have shown a surprising recovery, with vehicle margins recently climbing to nearly 19% despite a brutal price war in China. Reports are sharply divided on whether this recovery is sustainable. Optimists argue that falling battery costs and manufacturing efficiencies will allow the company to maintain healthy margins, especially as high-margin subscription revenues from battery swapping begin to compound. On the other hand, skeptics argue that these margins are artificially inflated by clever accounting tricks that shift battery depreciation costs to partner companies. They warn that as the company expands into Europe, where it must keep these assets on its own books, margins will compress back toward zero. Additionally, the ongoing domestic price war and high Western tariffs are expected to cap any potential margin expansion, keeping overall operating margins in negative territory for the foreseeable future.

The table compares up to five fiscal years of operating income and reported profitability margins.

Operating income and margin history
Fiscal yearOperating incomeOperating marginNet margin
2025CNY -14.4B-16.9%-17.1%
2024CNY -21.9B-33.3%-34.5%
2023CNY -22.7B-40.7%-38.0%
2022CNY -15.6B-31.7%-29.6%
2021CNY -4.5B-12.4%-29.3%

Balance sheet and leverage

The company's balance sheet is a major source of concern and debate. With an extremely high debt-to-equity ratio of over six, the company carries a heavy debt burden that makes it highly vulnerable in a high-interest-rate environment. Most reports agree that the company lacks the internal cash generation to service this debt comfortably, creating serious refinancing risks. However, there is a clear disagreement on how dangerous this leverage actually is. Optimists point to a massive cash reserve of over six billion dollars, largely provided by Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, which they believe guarantees survival and acts as a solid safety net. Skeptics counter that this cash has come at the cost of relentless share dilution, meaning existing investors are constantly owning a smaller piece of the company. Ultimately, the balance sheet offers very little protection for everyday shareholders.

The table compares up to five fiscal years of debt, liquidity, net cash or debt, and current-ratio evidence.

Balance sheet leverage and liquidity history
Fiscal yearTotal debtCash + short-term investmentsNet cash / (debt)Current ratio
2025CNY 26.2BCNY 45.8BCNY 210M net debt0.98x
2024CNY 33.8BCNY 22.1BCNY 14.5B net debt0.99x
2023CNY 34.7BCNY 49.7BCNY 1.8B net debt1.22x
2022CNY 23.7BCNY 39.1BCNY 3.8B net debt1.29x
2021CNY 20.1BCNY 52.4BCNY 4.8B net debt2.18x

Net debt below zero is displayed as net cash. Current ratio is current assets divided by current liabilities.

Capex and investment intensity

The company is known for its heavy spending, particularly on its unique battery-swapping network and advanced research. Some reports view this massive spending as a powerful competitive advantage, arguing that the completed infrastructure will soon act as a highly profitable utility network as more drivers use it. There is consensus that the heaviest phase of this spending is finally slowing down, with capital expenditures dropping relative to revenue. However, opinions differ on what this means for the future. Skeptics argue that the business remains structurally capital-heavy, requiring constant cash to maintain its network and support multiple brands. They worry this ongoing spending will continue to drain free cash flow and hurt long-term returns. In contrast, optimists believe the company is transitioning from a heavy building phase to a highly profitable harvesting phase, which could significantly boost future cash flows.

The table compares up to five fiscal years of capital expenditure and research-and-development investment.

Capital expenditure and research and development history
Fiscal yearCapital expenditureR&D spend
2025CNY 6.1BCNY 10.3B
2024CNY 9.1BCNY 13B
2023CNY 14.3BCNY 13.4B
2022CNY 7BCNY 10.8B
2021CNY 4.1BCNY 4.6B

Quarterly Forecast Scenarios

Nio Inc Quarterly Forecast Scenarios

One row per forecast quarter. Asset scenario targets are shown in USD; benchmark values are shown in USD.

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Quarterly Bear Case Stock Price, Base Case Stock Price, Bull Case Stock Price, and S&P 500 benchmark forecasts for Nio Inc.
TimelineBear Case Stock Price (USD)Base Case Stock Price (USD)Bull Case Stock Price (USD)S&P 500 benchmark (USD)
$4.2152$5.1852$5.9875$736.09
$3.878$5.4175$6.8957$724.14
$3.6453$5.663$7.93$713.57
$3.4995$5.8139$8.5644$723.38
$3.4117$6.0298$9.5922$716.61
$3.1387$6.2871$10.55$738.34
$3.1297$6.5681$10.58$746.91
$2.6603$6.897$11.43$771.93
$2.3942$7.1001$12.77$782.73
$2.3516$7.3767$14.46$807.31
$2.3883$7.6989$14.62$822.72
$2.1588$7.9093$15.65$846.10
$1.8997$8.4342$16.90$852.53
$1.7478$9.0336$18.59$882.91
$1.6604$8.9349$19.19$900.46
$1.8596$9.3042$20.72$922.67
$1.6737$9.9129$22.79$935.91
$1.5398$10.32$25.53$952.30
$1.4628$10.67$26.81$976.28
$1.3896$11.30$28.95$1,002

Research Provenance

References & Context

This Nio Inc consensus analysis combines structured market evidence with independent AI-agent forecasts. External references below are limited to sources recorded by the researcher agents for this forecast batch.

Primary analysis inputs

  • iPulse AI Multi-Agent Forecasts — independent analyst personas, model outputs, and consensus synthesis.
  • iPulse AI Global Events Context — macroeconomic, geopolitical, regulatory, and industry-event context.
  • Structured market history — prices, distributions, volatility, identifiers, and listing metadata.
  • Company earnings and financial statements — revenue, profitability, balance-sheet, cash-flow, and investment trends.
  • Researcher web evidence — public sources consulted to challenge and contextualize the forecast thesis.

Independent AI Advisor panel

AI Advisors
12
AI Researchers
7
AI Thinkers
5

Sources retained from AI Researcher searches

Showing the top 12 of 12 deduplicated sources retained for this batch.

Some model providers retained only the consulted domain, not an exact article URL. Those domains are shown as evidence without inventing a link.

  1. 01eletric-vehicles.comeletric-vehicles.com
  2. 02247wallst.com247wallst.com
  3. 03autocango.comautocango.com
  4. 04bitauto.hkbitauto.hk
  5. 05equalocean.comequalocean.com
  6. 06gasgoo.comgasgoo.com
  7. 07globalchinaev.comglobalchinaev.com
  8. 08news18a.comnews18a.com
  9. 09nio.comnio.com
  10. 10perplexity.aiperplexity.ai
  11. 11techinasia.comtechinasia.com
  12. 12tradingview.comtradingview.com

Context retained with this Consensus

The same public-safe market, global-event, and fundamental context supplied to the AI Advisor panel.

03

Global context snapshot

2025 Full-Year Global Market and World-Events Context

Download Archived Snapshot

Coverage 2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31 · Knowledge cutoff 2025-12-31

File size
90.8K bytes
Words
12.8K words
Characters
90.8K characters

This full-year context package covers the principal geopolitical, economic, monetary-policy, technology, trade, energy, and institutional developments that shaped global markets during 2025. It gives the forecasting model a chronological account of major world events together with their likely transmission into growth, inflation, interest rates, supply chains, commodities, currencies, public markets, and sector-level investment conditions.

The package also includes monthly and quarterly macroeconomic and cross-asset reference tables spanning US and international growth, central-bank policy, sovereign yields, major equity indices, foreign exchange, energy, industrial and precious metals, and digital assets. Quarterly and full-year high-impact summaries are integrated; monthly quantitative series remain working values pending final audit, and that qualification is part of the preserved context.

Top 3 market shifts from 2025 Full-Year Global Market and World-Events Context
Top 3 Market Shifts From FileDateStatus
DeepSeek shock and AI economics reset2025-01-27OPEN ENDED TREND
US tariff regime escalation and trade-system rupture2025-02-01ACTIVE POLICY REGIME
Federal Reserve easing cycle after a prolonged hold2025-09-17ACTIVE POLICY REGIME

2026 Year-to-Date Global Market Context through 2026-05-31

Download Archived Snapshot

Coverage 2026-01-01 to 2026-05-31 · Knowledge cutoff 2026-05-31

File size
78K bytes
Words
10.9K words
Characters
78K characters

This year-to-date package described the geopolitical, macroeconomic, monetary-policy, technology, trade, energy, and cross-asset developments available through the batch knowledge cutoff of 2026-05-31.

It supplied dated market and policy context, including rates, sovereign yields, equities, foreign exchange, energy, metals, and digital assets, for the forecast generation workflow.

Top 3 market shifts from 2026 Year-to-Date Global Market Context through 2026-05-31
Top 3 Market Shifts From FileDateStatus
The Iran and Strait of Hormuz conflict shocked energy markets2026-02-28STARTED AND ONGOING
U.S. monetary policy entered the Warsh transition2026-01-30STARTED AND ACTIVE POLICY TRANSITION
Agentic AI and infrastructure spending kept expanding2026-01-01OPEN ENDED
02

Fundamental context

Income statement

34 fields

costOfRevenue · currency_symbol · date · depreciationAndAmortization · +30 more fields

Balance sheet

64 fields

accountsPayable · accumulatedAmortization · accumulatedDepreciation · accumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncome · +60 more fields

Cash flow

32 fields

beginPeriodCashFlow · capitalExpenditures · cashAndCashEquivalentsChanges · cashFlowsOtherOperating · +28 more fields

Outstanding shares

4 fields

date · dateFormatted · shares · sharesMln

annual: 2017-01-01–2026-01-01, 10 periods; quarterly: 2023-06-30–2026-03-31, 12 periods

Currencies cited: CNY, USD (quote USD; primary reporting CNY; converted/valuation USD).