As of 4:40 a.m. New York time (ET) on Saturday, December 27, 2025, U.S. stock markets are closed for the weekend, leaving investors to digest Friday’s action and a fresh batch of overseas-expansion headlines before the next session begins on Monday morning.
XPeng stock price recap: where XPEV ended the last session
XPeng Inc. (NYSE: XPEV) finished the last trading session at $20.78, after trading between roughly $19.55 and $21.18—a wide intraday span that underscores how jumpy EV names can get in year-end liquidity. [1]
Market data showed heavy volume (about 14.2 million shares), and after-hours trading had the stock around $20.92 late Friday evening in New York—suggesting some follow-through interest even after the closing bell. [2]
For broader context, U.S. benchmark ETFs were basically flat into the weekend (small fractional moves in SPY, QQQ, and DIA), meaning XPeng’s move stood out more than it would have on a big risk-on day.
What moved XPeng on Friday: Qatar expansion and “global footprint” momentum
One clear catalyst in the Friday narrative was XPeng’s official entry into Qatar as part of a broader Middle East and Africa (MEA) push. Investing.com reported the stock rose sharply on the news, highlighting a Doha brand event where XPeng showcased the G9 and G6 and discussed plans for the P7+ locally. [3]
China EV-focused outlet CNEVPost separately reported XPeng’s Qatar entry and additional distribution expansion (including Mauritius), reinforcing that investors were responding to a real commercial expansion beat, not just a rumor. [4]
Why this matters for markets: in a world where China’s EV arena is famously competitive, credible overseas demand and new regional channels can improve the long-term revenue mix—and help reduce investor anxiety that the entire growth story lives or dies on one domestic pricing cycle.
A second tailwind: Southeast Asia manufacturing plans (Malaysia)
XPeng’s international strategy isn’t just “sell more cars abroad.” It’s also about building the operational scaffolding to make that growth less expensive.
Reuters reported that Malaysia’s EP Manufacturing Berhad (EPMB) signed an agreement to assemble XPeng’s G6 and X9 models in Malaysia, with the G6 assembly targeted to start by March 31, 2026, and the X9 (including an extended-range version) expected by May 25, 2026. [5]
Manufacturing or assembly closer to end markets can (in theory) lower logistics costs, reduce tariffs exposure, and speed deliveries—exactly the kind of unglamorous, spreadsheet-driven improvement that can matter a lot when investors are debating “growth at any cost” versus “growth with margins.”
The core fundamental story: deliveries remain strong, and overseas volumes are rising
The most important recurring data point for XPeng stock has been deliveries—and the latest official update remained constructive.
In its November deliveries release distributed via PR Newswire, XPeng said it delivered 36,728 Smart EVs in November 2025 (+19% year-over-year) and reached 391,937 cumulative deliveries from January–November 2025 (+156% year-over-year). [6]
Crucially for the “global XPeng” narrative, the same release stated overseas deliveries from January–November 2025 totaled 39,773 units (+95% year-over-year). [7]
That combination—big overall growth plus fast-growing overseas deliveries—is the kind of data mix that tends to keep momentum investors interested, even when the broader EV sector is debating demand durability.
Barron’s also noted that XPeng and peers were leaning on strong December delivery expectations to hit quarterly goals—an important framing because the market often trades EV names on whether the quarter “sticks the landing,” not just on long-term vision. [8]
Profitability watch: margins improved, but the China price war still bites
XPeng’s latest quarterly numbers added a second pillar to the story: improving profitability metrics (even if the company is not fully profitable yet).
In its Q3 2025 results release (PR Newswire distribution), XPeng reported:
- Revenue:RMB 20.38 billion (up 101.8% year-over-year)
- Gross margin:20.1% (up from 15.3% a year earlier)
- Net loss:RMB 0.38 billion, sharply narrower than the prior year
- Liquidity:RMB 48.33 billion in cash, equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments, and time deposits (as of Sept. 30, 2025) [9]
Management explicitly framed the margin step-up as a milestone, and investors tend to pay attention when an EV maker demonstrates it can scale without margins collapsing.
But there’s a real counterweight: Reuters reported XPeng forecast fourth-quarter revenue below analyst estimates, pointing to a prolonged price war and intensifying competition in China. Reuters also cited Third Bridge analyst Rosalie Chen, who argued the shift toward the mass-market Mona M03 strategy changed brand dynamics above the 200,000 yuan segment. [10]
XPeng’s own Q4 outlook (from the Q3 release) projected:
- Q4 deliveries:125,000 to 132,000 vehicles
- Q4 revenue:RMB 21.5 to 23.0 billion [11]
So the setup into early 2026 is basically: impressive growth + improving margins, but with a market still skeptical about how much profit survives the competitive environment.
“AI mobility” optionality: robotaxis, software, and partnerships
XPeng is not positioning itself as “just another EV company.” It keeps leaning into autonomous driving, software, and robotics—high-upside themes that can also make the story harder to model.
Two recent developments stand out:
1) Robotaxi partnership with Alibaba’s Amap
Reuters reported XPeng would team up with Alibaba’s Amap to launch a robotaxi service, with trial operations targeted for 2026, integrating XPeng vehicles into Amap’s platform. [12]
2) Volkswagen collaboration expands into a broader architecture push
Volkswagen Group China said its jointly developed “China Electronic Architecture (CEA)” with XPeng would be extended beyond EVs into locally produced Volkswagen models with conventional and hybrid powertrains starting 2027—a notable signal that XPeng’s software/architecture work is being treated as strategically valuable by a global automaker. [13]
This matters for XPEV investors because software and architecture revenue (or cost-sharing) can potentially improve margins and reduce the “sell cars at razor-thin profitability” trap—though the timing and scale are always the big questions.
Analyst forecasts and price targets: a mid-$20s consensus, with some bulls higher
Street sentiment looks mixed but tilted positive, based on a cluster of recent notes and price target updates.
- MarketBeat summarized the sell-side stance as “Moderate Buy” with an average price target around $25.37, citing notable higher targets like $34 (Morgan Stanley) and $29 (Daiwa). [14]
- Investing.com reported Goldman Sachs raised its XPeng price target to $25 on a 2026 growth outlook, and also referenced other firms’ targets and ratings (including Jefferies and Bernstein) amid discussion of XPeng’s Q4 guidance. [15]
Taken together, the “base case” analyst framing looks like this: XPeng has regained momentum, but valuation upside depends on (a) sustaining delivery growth, (b) defending margins in a price war, and (c) proving that software/AI initiatives translate into durable economics, not just cool demos.
Key risks investors keep circling
Even after a strong day, XPeng is not a “set it and forget it” stock. The recurring risks that can swing sentiment quickly include:
China EV competition and pricing pressure
Reuters’ reporting around XPeng’s Q4 revenue outlook put the price war front and center—and that’s the kind of macro-industry condition that can overwhelm company-specific progress for stretches of time. [16]
Safety/quality headlines
Reuters reported XPeng planned a recall covering 47,490 P7+ vehicles in China due to a potential steering assist issue tied to sensor wiring connections—exactly the sort of headline that can create short-term uncertainty even if the financial impact is manageable. [17]
Execution risk in global expansion
Malaysia assembly and Qatar entry sound promising, but international expansion is where automakers can rack up costs fast—distribution, service networks, compliance, localization, and brand-building all take time.
The exchange is closed now: what to know before Monday’s session
Because it’s Saturday in New York, there’s no fresh price discovery until Monday.
Here’s what investors typically focus on for the next open—specifically for XPeng this week:
1) Weekend headline risk (and opportunity)
XPeng trades in the U.S., but its operational news flow is global. Any additional MEA announcements, China policy headlines, or competitive pricing moves can shape Monday’s opening tone—especially after a sharp Friday move.
2) Watch whether the market treats Friday as “news-driven” or “trend-driven”
If traders interpret Qatar/Middle East expansion as the start of a longer re-rating tied to overseas growth, follow-through buying is more likely. If it’s seen as a one-day headline pop, profit-taking can show up quickly at the open.
3) Keep Q4 guidance and the price-war narrative in mind
XPeng’s Q4 outlook calls for 125,000–132,000 deliveries and RMB 21.5–23.0 billion revenue—numbers that will frame expectations into the next reporting cycle. [18]
At the same time, Reuters’ coverage emphasized that competition in China remains a serious headwind, with external analysts debating brand positioning and pricing strategy. [19]
4) Track “expansion with infrastructure,” not just expansion headlines
Malaysia assembly timelines (March/May 2026 targets) are tangible, date-stamped milestones. Progress there can be more meaningful than a generic “we entered country X” headline because it speaks to scale economics. [20]
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.marketwatch.com, 3. www.investing.com, 4. cnevpost.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.prnewswire.com, 7. www.prnewswire.com, 8. www.barrons.com, 9. www.prnewswire.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.prnewswire.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. m.volkswagengroupchina.com.cn, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.investing.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.prnewswire.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.reuters.com
