NIO Stock Soars on Record Q3 Deliveries and Earnings Beat—What’s Next for the EV Pioneer?

NIO stock (NYSE:NIO) is climbing after the Chinese electric-vehicle maker posted a smaller third-quarter loss and projected record deliveries for year-end 2025. NIO said Q3 revenue rose 16.7 % year over year to RMB 21.79 billion (US$3.06 billion) as vehicle deliveries surged 40.8 % to 87,071 units, powered by its premium NIO line, family-oriented ONVO brand and new FIREFLY city car. Gross margin improved to 13.9 %, the highest in three years, while adjusted net loss per ADS narrowed to RMB 1.14 from RMB 2.14 a year earlier. CEO William Li credited aggressive cost cuts and rising mix of higher-margin models for the margin rebound. Cash, restricted cash and short-term investments now total RMB 36.7 billion, bolstered by a US$1.16 billion equity raise in September, giving the company added flexibility to fund new models and its battery-swap network. Momentum is accelerating into Q4. NIO already delivered 40,397 vehicles in October alone and now forecasts 120,000-125,000 deliveries and up to RMB 34 billion in revenue for the fourth quarter—guidance that implies roughly 70 % year-over-year growth and a fresh quarterly record. Wall Street reacted positively: NIO’s American depositary shares were up more than 3 % in pre-market trading as investors digested the narrower loss and bullish outlook. Analysts expect fresh catalysts in 2026 as the company expands FIREFLY to right-hand-drive markets and begins outsourcing its self-developed driving chips to lower costs. Key takeaways for investors searching “NIO stock price today” or “is NIO stock a buy”: • Top-line growth is re-accelerating alongside improving vehicle margins, easing concerns about China’s EV price war. • Cash on hand plus the equity raise gives NIO enough runway to scale new models and infrastructure without near-term dilution. • Deliveries are on track to smash previous highs, positioning NIO to challenge BYD and Tesla for share in premium and family segments. Risks remain—foreign-exchange headwinds, intense domestic competition and litigation from a Singapore sovereign-wealth fund—but the latest numbers show NIO executing a disciplined turnaround. If management meets its Q4 targets, consensus price targets near RMB 48 (about US$6.75 per ADS) could prove conservative. For traders, watch whether NIO stock can clear the US$6 psychological level and hold gains into the earnings call replay later today. Long-term investors will focus on sustained gross-margin expansion toward the mid-teens and confirmation that fourth-quarter deliveries hit management’s new 120k-plus goal.