Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Rivian Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN)’s stock price gapped up before the market opened on Friday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The stock had previously closed at $14.00, but opened at $17.77. Rivian Automotive shares last traded at $16.8010, with a volume of 37,472,023 shares changing hands.

The electric vehicle automaker reported ($0.66) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.68) by $0.02. Rivian Automotive had a negative net margin of 67.68% and a negative return on equity of 61.67%. The firm had revenue of $1.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.27 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted ($0.70) EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 25.8% compared to the same quarter last year.

Trending Headlines about Rivian Automotive

Here are the key news stories impacting Rivian Automotive this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Rivian delivered a Q4 surprise: revenue and adjusted loss beat consensus and management issued a strong 2026 delivery outlook, triggering the rally. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Management now expects a large jump in 2026 deliveries (guidance ~62k–67k units / ~53% growth year‑over‑year), driven by rollout of the more affordable R2 SUV — investors view this as a clear growth path. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Broker activity has turned constructive: notable upgrades/target increases (Deutsche Bank upgrade to Buy with $23 PT; Wedbush reiteration at $25) helped fuel buying interest. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Quarter details: adjusted loss per share (~$0.54–$0.66 depending on source) beat estimates and revenue was roughly $1.28–1.29B; software/services showed meaningful YoY growth and management highlighted product & software initiatives. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: R2 progress: early reviews and management commentary point to R2 deliveries beginning in Q2 and strong demand potential, but it’s still early in the ramp. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Underlying profitability and revenue mix remain weak: automotive revenue fell sharply (reported ~45% decline in Q4 auto revenue), the company still posts negative net margins and negative ROE. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Cash burn and capex: Rivian flagged continued losses as it ramps production and may spend >$2.1B on capex for expansion; a recent settlement also pressures near‑term cash. Article Title Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Operational risks remain: some metrics (vehicle margins, free cash flow) showed weakness even with the beat — the company still expects losses as it scales, leaving execution risk on the table. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

RIVN has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Rivian Automotive from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 17th. Wolfe Research lowered shares of Rivian Automotive from a “peer perform” rating to an “underperform” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Rivian Automotive in a research report on Monday, February 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on shares of Rivian Automotive from $12.00 to $15.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Mizuho reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $10.00 target price (down from $14.00) on shares of Rivian Automotive in a research note on Monday, October 20th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, ten have issued a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Rivian Automotive has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $17.62.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rivian Automotive

In related news, CFO Claire Mcdonough sold 21,210 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.14, for a total value of $363,539.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 738,056 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,650,279.84. This represents a 2.79% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Robert J. Scaringe sold 17,450 shares of Rivian Automotive stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.03, for a total value of $279,723.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,115,209 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,876,800.27. This trade represents a 1.54% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 120,154 shares of company stock worth $2,143,724 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 2.16% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rivian Automotive

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of RIVN. FORA Capital LLC raised its position in Rivian Automotive by 188.9% in the 4th quarter. FORA Capital LLC now owns 241,897 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock valued at $4,768,000 after purchasing an additional 158,172 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in Rivian Automotive by 9.9% in the fourth quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC now owns 76,523 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock valued at $1,508,000 after purchasing an additional 6,924 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP raised its holdings in shares of Rivian Automotive by 78.1% in the fourth quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 497,258 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock valued at $9,801,000 after buying an additional 218,020 shares during the last quarter. Quinn Opportunity Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Rivian Automotive in the fourth quarter valued at about $197,000. Finally, Barrier Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rivian Automotive during the fourth quarter worth about $2,566,000. 66.25% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Rivian Automotive Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $21.74 billion, a PE ratio of -5.78 and a beta of 1.76. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $17.66 and a 200-day moving average of $15.32. The company has a quick ratio of 2.23, a current ratio of 2.71 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87.

Rivian Automotive Company Profile

Rivian Automotive, Inc is an American automotive technology company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of electric vehicles. The company is best known for its all-electric R1 platform, which underpins the R1T pickup truck and R1S sport utility vehicle. In addition to consumer products, Rivian has secured a significant commercial contract to produce electric delivery vans for a leading e-commerce provider, underscoring its capability to serve both retail and fleet customers.

Founded in 2009 by engineer and entrepreneur Robert “RJ” Scaringe, Rivian has grown from a research-focused startup into a publicly traded corporation.