TLDR
- NIO stock climbed over 7% in Hong Kong after CEO William Li reaffirmed a 40–50% annual delivery growth target for 2026
- The ES8 hit 16,255 retail sales in March, holding the sales crown for vehicles above 400,000 yuan for four straight months
- NIO launched pre-sales for the new ES9 SUV at 528,000 yuan — 31% cheaper than the ET9 with similar tech
- Full-year 2025 revenue rose 33% to 87.49 billion yuan, with net loss narrowing to 15.57 billion yuan from 22.66 billion yuan
- BOC International raised its NIO US stock target price to $14, reiterating a “Buy” rating
NIO stock jumped more than 7% in Hong Kong on Monday, building on a strong run of operational news. CEO William Li’s weekend comments at the China EV 100 forum in Beijing gave investors fresh confidence heading into the week.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Li said NIO has entered its “third stage of development” since the second half of last year. He backed a delivery growth rate of 40% to 50% for 2026, pointing to the company’s Q1 performance as proof of momentum.
NIO already posted a 98.3% year-on-year delivery increase in Q1, giving that target some real weight behind it.
The third-generation ES8 had a strong March, recording 16,255 retail sales. That secured the model’s sales championship in the 400,000-yuan-and-above segment for the fourth month in a row.
The all-new #NIO ES8 hit 16,255 domestic sales in March, securing the top sales spot for four consecutive months among full-size SUVs and models priced above 400k RMB.
Over its first six full months of delivery from October 2025 to March 2026, the all-new ES8 posted cumulative… https://t.co/tdlh9zSzoj pic.twitter.com/BUXT3ky6OX— ThinkerCar (@thinkercar) April 13, 2026
The ES8 reached 90,000 deliveries in just 195 days, averaging over 3,000 units per week. For context, the model sold just 514 units in March 2025. The turnaround has been sharp.
ES9 Launch Adds to the Momentum
NIO launched pre-sales for its new flagship ES9 SUV last Thursday, priced from 528,000 yuan. That’s 31% lower than the ET9 sedan, which carries similar technology.
The strategy appears deliberate — NIO is trying to repeat what it did with the ES8, but in an even higher price bracket. The ES9’s official launch is expected in late May, with deliveries starting June 1.
BOC International expects stable ES9 monthly deliveries of 3,000 to 4,000 units. The bank sees combined ES8 and ES9 monthly sales staying above 10,000 units, with room to grow further.
Financials Back Up the Story
NIO’s full-year 2025 results, filed Friday in Hong Kong, showed revenue jumping 33% year-on-year to 87.49 billion yuan. The attributable loss narrowed to 15.57 billion yuan, down from 22.66 billion yuan in 2024.
Loss per share came in at 6.85 yuan versus 11.03 yuan the prior year.
BOC International raised its 2026 and 2027 revenue forecasts for NIO by 3% to 5% off the back of the revised sales outlook.
The bank raised its US stock target price to $14, maintaining its “Buy” rating. It cited NIO’s growth momentum, a clearer path to cash flow, and what it called an “inflection point” in operations.
NIO’s US-listed stock was up a further 2% in pre-market trading Monday, priced at $6.63.
Xpeng rose 1.72% and Li Auto gained 0.88% in the same Hong Kong session. BYD was up 4.66%.
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