Sign in

You're signed outSign in or to get full access.

CE

CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (CBAT)·Q2 2025 Earnings Summary

Executive Summary

  • Q2 2025 revenue of $40.52M declined 15% year over year but improved 16% sequentially; gross margin compressed to 11.0% from 26.6% YoY, with an operating loss of $3.53M and EPS of -$0.03 .
  • Revenue and EPS were better than Wall Street consensus, with revenue beating by ~$6.97M and EPS two cents better than estimates; estimate depth was limited (one estimate) which tempers signal strength [Q2 2025 S&P Global]*.
  • Management reiterated transition from legacy 26650 to new 40135 cells at Dalian, targeted for mass production in September, and confirmed Nanjing 32140 Phase II expansion pushed to Q4; both are expected to drive recovery beginning in Q4 2025 .
  • The near-term narrative hinges on execution of product migration/validation and capacity additions; medium-term catalysts include Malaysian plant partnership with Anker (potential US$357M order framework) and large EV/light EV orders that broaden end-market exposure .

What Went Well and What Went Wrong

What Went Well

  • Solid sequential improvement: revenue rose from $34.94M in Q1 to $40.52M in Q2 (+16.0%), while gross margin held double-digit despite transition headwinds .
  • Strategic capacity projects and customer engagement advancing: Dalian 40135 mass production targeted for September; Nanjing 32140 Phase II to Q4; “customers already testing and validating the product and providing highly positive feedback” .
  • Strong commercial momentum signposts: announced Malaysian plant partnership with Anker with potential orders valued at ~$357M and signed a sizeable $11.6M 32140 order with Africa’s leading EV company, with anticipated follow-ons up to $55M .
    • CEO: “Once Model 40135 enters mass production in Dalian and the additional Model 32140 capacity in Nanjing comes online by year-end, we anticipate a strong rebound in production and sales.” .

What Went Wrong

  • Sharp YoY pressure: revenue -15% YoY to $40.52M, gross margin down to 11.0% from 26.6%, and net income swung to a loss of -$3.07M vs $6.45M profit last year; battery segment YoY decline notable (net revenues -40.8%, gross profit -73.6%) .
  • Dalian transition created a demand air-pocket: residential energy customers paused for validation of 40135, compressing volumes and margins; battery business net income fell to -$2.07M from $7.89M YoY .
  • Phase II expansion timing slipped: Nanjing 32140 Phase II completion “postponed to Q4,” modestly deferring incremental capacity and revenue ramp .

Financial Results

Consolidated Results vs Prior Year and Prior Quarter

MetricQ2 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025
Revenue ($USD Millions)$47.79 $34.94 $40.52
Gross Profit ($USD Millions)$12.73 $4.80 $4.46
Gross Margin (%)26.6% 13.7% 11.0%
Operating Income (Loss) ($USD Millions)$5.95 $(2.86) $(3.53)
Net Income Attributable ($USD Millions)$6.45 $(1.58) $(3.07)
Diluted EPS ($)$0.07 $(0.02) $(0.03)

Q2 2025 Actuals vs Wall Street Consensus (S&P Global)

MetricConsensusActualBeat/Miss
Revenue ($USD Millions)$33.56*$40.52 Bold beat: +$6.97M*
Primary EPS ($)$(0.04)*$(0.03) Bold beat: +$0.01*
# of Estimates (Revenue / EPS)1 / 1*Limited depth*

Values retrieved from S&P Global.*

Battery Business and Application Mix (YoY)

Metric (Battery Business)Q2 2024Q2 2025
Net Revenues ($USD)$35,598,124 $21,090,137
Gross Profits ($USD)$12,917,293 $3,411,633
Gross Margin (%)36.3% 16.2%
Net Income ($USD)$7,892,641 $(2,071,334)
Application Net Revenues ($USD)Q2 2024Q2 2025
Electric Vehicles$199,258 $142,139
Light Electric Vehicles$1,825,501 $2,426,624
Residential Energy & UPS$33,573,365 $18,521,374
Total$47,793,045 $40,524,333

KPIs and OpEx

KPIQ2 2024Q1 2025Q2 2025
Cost of Revenues ($USD Millions)$35.07 $30.14 $36.06
R&D Expense ($USD Millions)$2.96 $3.02 $3.61
Sales & Marketing ($USD Millions)$1.37 $0.90 $0.95
G&A Expense ($USD Millions)$3.13 $3.80 $3.35

Guidance Changes

MetricPeriodPrevious GuidanceCurrent GuidanceChange
Dalian Model 40135 mass production start2H 2025“Second half of 2025” (validation underway) September 2025; customer validation in progress Clarified timing (more specific)
Nanjing Model 32140 Phase II expansion2025“Expected operational by end-2025” Completion postponed to Q4 2025 Timing refined (to Q4)
Battery segment revenue recovery4Q 2025Directional recovery post-validation Gradual recovery beginning in Q4 2025 Timing added
Southeast Asia plant (Malaysia/SEA) mass production2026“Mass production by mid next year” (from Q1 call) Malaysian project to commence production by end-2025 for 32140/40135; SEA flexibility discussed on Q1 call Roadmap advanced via Malaysian project
Capital returnThrough May 20, 2026N/AShare repurchase authorization up to $20M New program

Note: No formal numeric guidance provided on revenue, margins, OpEx, OI&E, or tax rate in Q2 materials .

Earnings Call Themes & Trends

(Full Q2 transcript not available; Q4 2024 and Q1 2025 calls inform trend narrative.)

TopicPrevious Mentions (Q4 2024)Previous Mentions (Q1 2025)Current Period (Q2 2025)Trend
Product transition (26650→40135)Upgrade at Dalian with 2.3 GWh 40135 line by end-2025 Validation underway; recovery post-line completion Mass production scheduled for September; validation feedback positive Advancing to production
32140 demand/capacity32140 flagship; demand > capacity; +3 GWh expansion by end-2025 Nanjing fully booked; equipment prepayments made Phase II completion postponed to Q4; capacity fully booked Capacity timing refined
Tariffs/geopolitics & localizationExploring SEA/US expansion due to tariffs SEA facility client-driven; flexible lines for 32140/40135 Malaysian project announced with Anker partnership Localization accelerated
End-market mixResidential energy strength in 2024 LEV growth +88.4%; residential down -60.4% YoY Residential still soft (-44.8% YoY); LEV +33% YoY Mix shifting to LEV/portable power
Large orders/customer breadthBacklog across PowerOAK/Anker/Jinpeng Major 4-year order near finalization $11.6M Africa EV order; Anker partnership ~$357M potential Commercial momentum building

Management Commentary

  • CEO (Zhiguang Hu): “Our Dalian facilities are scheduled to begin mass production of Model 40135 in September… We expect a gradual recovery at Dalian beginning in Q4… [Nanjing] Phase II expansion… postponed to Q4… Once Model 40135… and additional Model 32140 capacity… come online by year-end, we anticipate a strong rebound in production and sales.”
  • CFO (Jiewei Li): “We are undergoing a strategic upgrade… introducing Model 40135—while also facing significantly higher-than-expected demand for… Model 32140… we are confident that our financial performance will experience a gradual and solid recovery in the near term… close to finalizing agreements with several internationally renowned customers.”

Q&A Highlights

(Q2 call transcript not available; highlights from Q1 call)

  • Capacity plan confirmation: Dalian 40135 at 2.3 GWh; Nanjing plan adjusted to allocate 1.5 GWh to SEA due to tariff risks, preserving 1.5 GWh at Nanjing .
  • Technology preference: Cylindrical/large cylindrical formats better suited for high-voltage home storage and e-scooters than prismatic/pouch in certain designs, supporting product roadmap .
  • Tariff mitigation and customer actions: Major portable power customers pushing suppliers to relocate; SEA facility decision client-driven; favorable commercial terms (prepayments); near-term deal closure indicated .

Estimates Context

  • Q2 2025 revenue beat vs consensus ($40.52M actual vs $33.56M estimate); EPS beat by $0.01 (actual -$0.03 vs -$0.04 estimate); limited estimate depth (one estimate each) suggests caution in extrapolating beats into broad sell-side revisions [Q2 2025 S&P Global]*.
  • Next quarter (Q3 2025) consensus suggested -$0.04 EPS and $39.27M revenue vs actual $60.92M; the Q3 revenue upside reflects capacity/validation progress and mix, which may prompt upward revisions where coverage exists [Q3 2025 S&P Global]*.

Values retrieved from S&P Global.*

Key Takeaways for Investors

  • Near-term setup: Sequential recovery underway; Q4 is the pivotal inflection with Dalian 40135 mass production and Nanjing Phase II capacity; monitor validation-to-production conversion rates and unit economics .
  • Margin watch: Gross margin compressed to 11.0% amid transition; battery segment margin (16.2%) supports improvement potential as mix shifts to 40135/32140 and scale returns .
  • Commercial catalysts: Malaysian plant partnership with Anker (potential ~$357M) and Africa EV orders expand geographic and product reach; execution on these programs is a medium-term driver .
  • Tariff/geopolitics risk mitigants: SEA localization strategy progressing; flexible lines for 32140/40135 support resilience against import barriers .
  • Capital allocation: $20M buyback authorization provides downside support and signals confidence; watch deployment pace and balance sheet flexibility .
  • Estimate dynamics: Beat vs sparse Q2 consensus is positive but not definitive; broader coverage and capacity commencement in Q4/Q1 should drive more robust estimate formation and potential upward revisions [Q2/Q3 2025 S&P Global]*.
  • Trading lens: Stock could react to tangible proof points—September 40135 commencement, Q4 capacity online, announced named customer contracts, and incremental order disclosures; missed capacity timelines or slower validation could pressure sentiment .

Additional Detail and Source Citations

  • Earnings release and financial statements for Q2 2025 (press release and 8-K Exhibit 99.1) .
  • Q1 2025 press release and 8-K Exhibit 99.1 .
  • Q1 2025 earnings call transcript highlights .
  • Q4 2024 earnings call transcript context .
  • Strategic partnership and orders press releases .
  • Share repurchase authorization press release .