The profitability of power battery companies has improved, mainly due to the price reduction of raw materials

In the first three quarters of this year, the new energy vehicle sector achieved a net profit of 21.6 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13.1%. The price reduction of raw materials in the third quarter has improved the profitability of battery companies.

The upstream raw materials sector continued to maintain high growth in revenue and profit in the first three quarters. In the first three quarters, the sector achieved an overall operating income of 40.9 billion yuan, up 28.8% year-on-year; and achieved a net profit attributable to the parent company of approximately 10.5 billion yuan, up 59.8% year-on-year. From a month-on-month perspective, the raw materials sector achieved a net profit of 2.5 billion yuan in the third quarter, down about 37% from the second quarter.

Although lithium and cobalt prices have fluctuated greatly this year, the average price is still higher than the same period last year. Affected by the recent decline in raw material prices, the net profit of the upstream raw materials sector in the third quarter fell month-on-month.

The midstream (positive and negative electrodes + diaphragms + electrolyte) segment achieved operating revenue of 54.2 billion yuan in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 23.2%; and achieved a net profit attributable to the parent of 5.2 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 23.4%. The battery cell segment achieved operating revenue of 39.3 billion yuan in the first three quarters, a year-on-year increase of 26.9%; and achieved a net profit attributable to the parent of 3.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 23%.

Due to the decline in subsidies, the gross profit margins of target companies in the industrial chain have declined. The industry will be in a reshuffle period in the next two years, and the performance of most power battery and midstream (positive and negative electrodes + diaphragms + electrolytes) companies will still be under pressure.

In the third quarter, the revenue and profit of the battery cell industry increased significantly, at 34.9% and 129.3% respectively. This is mainly because the price of raw materials has dropped since the third quarter, but the price of battery cells has not, which has led to a rebound in the profitability of battery companies.

According to CATL's third-quarter report, CATL achieved operating income of 9.776 billion yuan in the third quarter, a 73% increase from the second quarter, higher than the 52% increase from the second quarter; net profit was 1.572 billion yuan, a 162% increase from the second quarter, much higher than the 28% increase from the second quarter.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.