Li Auto Shares Rally As March Deliveries Hit 41,053 Units

On Wednesday, Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI) reported March deliveries of 41,053 vehicles, up 12% year over year and 55% from February, signaling accelerating demand. First-quarter deliveries reached 95,142 units, rising 2.45% from a year earlier but declining 12.9% sequentially. Expanding Footprint and Infrastructure Cumulative deliveries climbed to 1,635,357, highlighting the company's growing scale. The milestone comes alongside continued expansion across China, where Li Auto now operates 517 retail stores and 552 service centers, strengthening customer reach and after-sales support. The company has also built out a sizable charging network, with more than 4,000 supercharging stations, reinforcing its position in the competitive EV landscape. Tech Push and Share Buyback Li Auto continues to invest in next-generation technology. At NVIDIA GTC 2026, it introduced its MindVLA autonomous driving model, underscoring ambitions in advanced driver assistance and spatial intelligence. Looking ahead, the company plans to launch the updated Li L9 in the second quarter of 2026, broadening its product lineup. Meanwhile, its board has approved a share repurchase program of up to $1 billion, signaling confidence in long-term prospects. Peer Deliveries Snapshot XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) delivered 27,415 vehicles in March, up 80% month over month but down 17% year over year. First-quarter deliveries totaled 62,682 units, a 33.3% annual decline, though within guidance. Nio Inc. (NYSE:NIO) delivered 35,486 vehicles in March, surging 136% year over year. First-quarter deliveries reached 83,465 units, up 98.3% from a year earlier. Technical Analysis LI is trading 6.3% above its 20-day SMA and 5.4% above its 100-day SMA, showing improving intermediate momentum even as the longer-term trend is still repairing. Shares are down 30.46% over the past 12 months and are currently positioned closer to their 52-week low than their 52-week high. The stock remains 13.2% below its 200-day SMA, which keeps the longer-term trend pressure in focus and helps explain why rallies can still face selling overhead. The death cross in September (when the 50-day SMA crossed below the 200-day SMA) reinforces that the bigger-picture trend has been bearish, even if the near-term bounce is gaining traction. Earnings & Analyst Outlook Looking further out, the next major catalyst for the stock arrives with the May 28, 2026 (estimated) earnings report. EPS Estimate: 7 cents (Down from 13 cents YoY) Revenue Estimate: $3.14 Billion (Down from $3.57 Billion YoY) Valuation: P/E of 114.0x (Indicates premium valuation relative to peers) Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold Rating with an average price target of $24.69. Recent analyst moves include: JP Morgan: Underweight (Raises Target to $15.50) (Mar. 13) Jefferies: Downgraded to Hold (Lowers Target to $17.50) (Jan. 23) Citigroup: Neutral (Lowers Target to $18.50) (Jan. 15) LI Price Action: Li Auto shares were up 4.60% at $18.64 during premarket trading on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Photo via Shutterstock