Polestar Automotive Holding, a prominent player in the electric-vehicle (EV) market, has recently experienced a downgrade to Sell, causing its shares to decline. Despite its reputation in the industry, the company is struggling to generate enough volume in the upper end of the EV market, leading to concerns about future demand.
Barclays analyst Dan Levy, in a recent assessment, downgraded Polestar stock (ticker: PSNY) from Hold to Sell. Levy also adjusted the price target from $5 to $3 per share.
As of premarket trading, Polestar stock is down by 1.3% at $3.09 per share. In comparison, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite futures have experienced lesser declines of 0.4% and 0.7%, respectively.
The rise of competition in the EV market is a key factor contributing to the challenges faced by Polestar. Levy suggests that while the introduction of new models may help boost sales growth, it is unlikely to significantly impact the company’s position as a niche player in the industry.
Polestar, initially a subsidiary of Chinese company Geely and also a parent company of Volvo, continues to maintain a large ownership stake. Volvo, known for its EVs such as the XC40 and C40, competes with Polestar through its offerings overlapping in size with the new Polestar 3. However, the Polestar brand targets higher-end buyers and therefore comes with a heftier price tag.
In addition to its current lineup consisting of the Polestar 2, the company plans to launch the Polestar 4 sedan in 2024. Although these products showcase impressive features, penetrating the higher-end EV market can prove to be a challenging task. For instance, Lucid Group’s (LCID) quarterly sales peaked in Q4 2022 at 1,932 units, while volumes in the first and second quarters of this year remained closer to 1,400 units.
Polestar Automotive Holding faces the ongoing hurdle of establishing itself as a key player in the EV market. Despite the potential of its offerings, the company needs to navigate the competitive landscape and address the demand constraints that lie ahead.
Polestar Continues to Gain Momentum
Polestar, a leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has been making waves in the automotive industry. With its affordable lineup of vehicles, Polestar is giving competitors like Lucid a run for their money. While Lucid’s sedans can exceed $100,000 each, Polestar’s offerings come at a lower price point.
In the second quarter of this year, Polestar achieved impressive sales figures, with 15,800 units sold compared to approximately 12,000 units in the same quarter last year. Although the company’s quarterly sales reached a peak of around 22,000 units in the fourth quarter, the consistent growth is evident.
However, it is important to note that both Polestar and Lucid have experienced declines in their stock performance. Over the past year, Lucid stock has dropped about 58%, while Polestar shares have seen a decline of about 54%. The significant decrease in stock value can be attributed to various factors, such as rising competition, increasing interest rates, and a slower economy. These challenges have somewhat dampened investor enthusiasm for EV startups.
Despite the dips in stock prices, Polestar maintains a positive outlook among analysts. Approximately 57% of analysts covering the company rate its shares as a Buy, slightly surpassing the average Buy-rating ratio for stocks in the S&P 500, which stands at about 55%. It is worth mentioning that although there has been a downgrade from Hold to Sell for Polestar shares, this does not significantly impact the overall Buy-rating ratio. Instead, it affects the Sell-rating ratio, which now stands at around 29%. Comparatively, the average Sell-rating ratio for stocks in the S&P 500 is about 7%.
With an average analyst price target of approximately $5.30, Polestar continues to attract attention and show great potential in the EV market.
In conclusion, Polestar’s success story speaks volumes. Despite facing tough competition and market challenges, the company’s affordable offerings and consistent sales growth make it a formidable player in the electric vehicle industry.
