NIO Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NYSE:NIO)

NIO Inc. (NYSE:NIO) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Stock investors purchased 238,070 call options on the company. This is an increase of 52% compared to the average daily volume of 157,035 call options.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently commented on NIO shares. UBS Group downgraded shares of NIO from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $7.00 target price on shares of NIO in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of NIO in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup lowered their price target on NIO from $8.60 to $6.90 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Finally, Barclays raised their price objective on NIO from $3.00 to $4.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Friday, November 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, NIO has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $6.83.

Key NIO News

Here are the key news stories impacting NIO this week:

• Positive Sentiment: NIO issued a profit alert saying it expects an adjusted operating profit (non‑GAAP) of approximately RMB700M–RMB1,200M for Q4 2025, driven by higher sales, a favorable product mix and cost cuts — a clear catalyst for the rally. NIO Profit Alert (GlobeNewswire)
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple media outlets amplified the profit news (coverage includes Benzinga and Blockonomi), increasing visibility and momentum as traders and momentum funds chased the headline. What’s Going On With Nio Stock? (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large options activity: ~238,070 call options traded (≈+52% vs. typical), indicating short‑term bullish bets and speculative positioning that can amplify upside. (internal trade data)
• Neutral Sentiment: NIO also disclosed an expected GAAP operating profit range (approx. RMB200M–RMB700M) and emphasized the figures are preliminary and unaudited — useful directional info but not final results. NIO Profit Alert (GlobeNewswire)
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional activity and analyst coverage have ramped up; several firms recently added positions or updated targets (median six‑month target shown around $7), which supports longer‑term investor interest. QuiverQuant summary
• Negative Sentiment: Caveats: the profit alert is based on preliminary, unaudited numbers and uses non‑GAAP figures (excludes share‑based comp). Sustainability of profitability is unproven — NIO still has a history of large net losses and a relatively high debt/equity level, so upside could reverse on final audited results or if margins slip. Can Nio Stock Beat the Market? (The Motley Fool)
• Negative Sentiment: Market and sector risks remain — weakening EV subsidies and stiff competition in China could pressure volumes and margins if momentum fades. Recent volatility shows the stock can swing on sentiment shifts. Zacks note on recent volatility

NIO Stock Performance

Shares of NIO stock opened at $5.05 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $10.54 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.48 and a beta of 1.10. The company’s 50 day moving average is $4.87 and its 200 day moving average is $5.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.36. NIO has a 52-week low of $3.02 and a 52-week high of $8.02.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its stake in NIO by 37.4% in the second quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 965,409 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,311,000 after acquiring an additional 262,637 shares in the last quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of NIO by 125.2% during the 2nd quarter. Vontobel Holding Ltd. now owns 1,094,398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,754,000 after purchasing an additional 608,377 shares during the last quarter. RWC Asset Advisors US LLC acquired a new stake in shares of NIO in the 3rd quarter worth $79,761,000. WMG Financial Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of NIO by 17.9% in the 2nd quarter. WMG Financial Advisors LLC now owns 474,966 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,629,000 after purchasing an additional 72,170 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Y Intercept Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in NIO during the 3rd quarter worth $3,812,000. 48.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About NIO

NIO Inc is a pioneer in the premium electric vehicle (EV) segment, dedicated to the design, development and manufacture of smart, high-performance EVs. Established in November 2014 and headquartered in Shanghai, China, the company focuses on integrating cutting-edge electric propulsion, advanced connectivity and autonomous driving technologies into its automotive platforms. NIO’s vision centers on creating a holistic user experience that extends beyond the vehicle itself, encompassing energy services and digital solutions.

The company’s product lineup includes flagship SUVs and sedans such as the ES8, ES6, EC6, ET7 and ET5, each engineered to deliver strong performance, long range and a suite of intelligent driver-assistance features.