Polestar stock drops despite “best year ever” sales; Feb. 18 update is next test

Polestar stock drops despite “best year ever” sales; Feb. 18 update is next test

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 15:56 EST — Regular session

Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC shares fell 5.9% to $20.90 at 3:56 p.m. EST, swinging between $20.81 and $22.35 in Friday’s Nasdaq session. In an SEC filing, the electric-vehicle maker put 2025 retail sales at about 60,119 cars, up 34%, and said fourth-quarter volumes rose 27% to 15,608; it said the figures were preliminary and could be adjusted. CEO Michael Lohscheller called 2025 its “best year ever” for retail volumes and set Feb. 18 for a strategy update; Polestar said a December ADS ratio change — akin to a reverse stock split that bundles shares to lift the quoted price — restored compliance with Nasdaq’s $1 bid-price rule.

The sales snapshot lands at a tricky moment for the stock. Polestar has been trying to calm nerves after a long stretch where funding questions and listing mechanics mattered as much as cars.

Polestar has leaned harder on Europe over the past year, with the region now accounting for about 78% of sales as demand cooled and competition sharpened in the United States and China. “Europe is absolutely the core,” Lohscheller told Reuters, as the company shifted from an online-only push to a dealer-led model, grew its sales network outside China and shut its 30 Chinese retail sites. U.S. tariffs have squeezed margins and forced production and supply-chain changes, while Polestar has depended on majority owner Geely — which also controls Volvo Cars — for funding, including a $900 million financing package in December. Reuters

Friday’s report gives a top-line read, but not much on profits. Traders will want to hear on Feb. 18 what management thinks it can do on gross margin, cash burn and the cost of building out that Europe-heavy push.

But the setup can turn fast. Any stumble in deliveries, a fresh tariff squeeze, or slower dealer ramp-up could shove the focus back to liquidity and dilution rather than sales momentum.

After Friday’s drop, the stock is still well above the $1 listing threshold that once hung over it, yet the swings underline how sensitive the name remains to headlines and guidance.

Shan Ahmed Khan

Shan Ahmed Khan is a senior markets reporter at TS2.tech. His coverage ranges from stocks and technology to economic developments across global markets. He worked in investment research and market analysis before becoming a financial journalist and is a graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

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