The automotive industry is a huge sector of the economy and has therefore always been one of the most interesting industries for investors. The automotive industry is currently undergoing rapid change, particularly due to the rise of electric cars and the political pressure in many places to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While new companies are trying to enter the electromobility market, the major global automotive groups are also trying to turn the tide - albeit in part by force - to prepare for a future in which electric cars could play a decisive role. In this article, we present a small selection of automotive stocks.
Toyota
- Company: Toyota Motor Corporation
- Symbol (TWS): 7203 / TM
- ISIN: JP3633400001 / US8923313071
- Stock Exchange: Tokyo Stock Exchange / New York Stock Exchange
- Country: Japan / USA
- Currency: Yen / US Dollar
- Market capitalization: JPY 31,983 billion / USD 277.83 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 273.69 billion
In terms of the number of vehicles sold and turnover, Toyota is one of the largest automotive companies in the world. Headquartered in Aichi, Japan, the company produces cars with internal combustion engines, hybrid cars and, more recently, electric cars, with total production reaching 10 million vehicles per year. The company currently still relies on a mix of conventional internal combustion engines, hybrids and electric cars, but over the last few years it has recognized that electric cars will play an increasingly important role and has gradually increased its investment in this area. Most recently, Toyota again announced at the beginning of the year that it intends to expand its investments in the area of electric vehicles.
Volkswagen
- Company: Volkswagen AG
- Symbol (TWS): VOW3
- ISIN: DE0007664039
- Stock exchange: XETRA
- Country: Germany
- Currency: Euro
- Market capitalization: EUR 113.04 billion / USD 129.41 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 254 billion
Like Toyota, Volkswagen is one of the world's best-selling car manufacturers. Its brand portfolio includes VW, Skoda and SEAT, as well as the luxury brands Audi, Lamborghini, Porsche and Bentley. Founded in 1937 and headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, the company aims to convert most of its production to e-cars within the next 10 years and has good prospects of becoming one of the world's leading car companies in e-mobility as well. Volkswagen already sells e-cars in Europe, the U.S. and Asia and aims to surpass the number of electric vehicles sold by Tesla by 2025. To achieve this, the company is investing large sums in reducing the cost of batteries, which are one of the most expensive components of electric vehicles. It also plans to build six large factories in Europe by 2030, where e-vehicles will be produced on a large scale.
Ford
- Company: Ford Motor Company
- Symbol (TWS): F
- ISIN: US3453708600
- Stock Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
- Country: USA
- Currency: US Dollar
- Market capitalization: USD 79.49 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 134.61 billion
Ford Motor Company is a multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in the US state of Michigan. The company sells both commercial and luxury vehicles under its Ford and Lincoln brand names. Ford is one of the most important and traditional automakers in the U.S. in the field of gasoline-powered sedans, SUVs, trucks and other vehicles, and is making efforts to catch up with its competitors in the field of electric vehicles.
Tesla
- Company: Tesla Inc
- Symbol (TWS): TSLA
- ISIN: US88160R1014
- Stock Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
- Country: USA
- Currency: US Dollar
- Market capitalization: USD 942.37 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 53.82 billion
Tesla is already the largest car manufacturer in the world in terms of market value. The company develops, produces and sells electric vehicles and is also active in the field of energy generation and storage for private and commercial use. Tesla's all-electric vehicles include sedans, SUVs and trucks. Tesla and especially its co-founders around CEO Elon Musk are considered pioneers of premium electric vehicles and therefore still have a technological edge over competitors. Therefore, there is a high probability that Tesla will remain one of the most important manufacturers of e-cars in the future and will be able to maintain its role as one of the leading global automotive groups.
NIO
- Company: NIO Inc
- Symbol (TWS): NIO
- ISIN: US62914V1061
- Stock Exchange: New York Stock Exchange
- Country: USA
- Currency: US Dollar
- Market capitalization: 36.79 billion
- Sales (TTM) in USD: 32.88 billion
NIO is an automobile manufacturer based in Shanghai that specializes in the development of electric vehicles. The company is considered the market leader for electric vehicles in China and is sometimes referred to as the "Chinese Tesla". The company's luxury SUVs are currently in high demand; at the same time, the range is being expanded with new models and the development of innovative batteries is being driven forward. NIO shares experienced hype, particularly in 2020, and the share price rose from around USD 4 to over USD 65 within a year. A significant correction followed in 2021 and the share price is below the 30 USD mark at the time of writing this article.