On Monday, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reiterated its Overweight rating on EHang Holdings (NASDAQ:EH) with a steady price target of $27.50. EHang Holdings reported a reduced net loss of RMB 63.4 million for the first quarter of 2024, compared to losses in the same period of the previous year and the last quarter of 2023. The company's performance was bolstered by strong operating leverage.
EHang delivered 26 units of its EH216 series product in the quarter, driving total revenue up by 165% year-over-year and 91% quarter-over-quarter to RMB 61.7 million. This revenue surpassed the company's own forecast of RMB 58 million. However, the gross margin saw a slight decline of 2.8 percentage points to 61.9% quarter-over-quarter, attributed to a less favorable product mix and higher costs associated with the airworthiness-certified EH216-S product.
The company managed to keep its operating expenses under control, with lower than expected credit loss expenses contributing to this efficiency. Notably, EHang has generated positive operating cash flow for two consecutive quarters. Looking ahead, the management anticipates second-quarter revenue to increase by 46% quarter-over-quarter to RMB 90 billion. This growth expectation is underpinned by increasing shipments of the EH216 series product, which continues to attract intention orders from local governments and business clients.
EHang is also focusing on obtaining operating certificates as a future growth milestone. The company is actively engaging with regulatory authorities to establish the necessary guidelines. Despite these developments, hardware sales are projected to remain the primary source of revenue in the short term.
InvestingPro Insights
As EHang Holdings (NASDAQ:EH) demonstrates a trajectory of growth, there are several key metrics and insights from InvestingPro that can provide a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and stock performance. With a market capitalization of $1.13 billion and a significant revenue growth of 164.97% in the last twelve months as of Q1 2023, EHang's financials reflect both its potential and the challenges it faces. While analysts are anticipating sales growth in the current year, it's important to note that the company is not profitable over the last twelve months, with an operating income margin of -252.29%.
The InvestingPro Tips highlight that EHang has an impressive gross profit margin of 64.13%, suggesting that the company is effective at converting revenue into profit at the gross level. Moreover, the company holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, providing a cushion for future investments or to weather economic downturns. The stock has experienced high price volatility, which might appeal to certain investors looking for dynamic trading opportunities. For those interested in EHang's potential for future growth, the InvestingPro product offers an additional 10 tips on the company, which you can explore with the use of coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription.
Finally, with a strong return over the last three months at 87.01% and a one-year price total return of 69.77%, EHang's stock has rewarded investors in the short term. These figures, coupled with the fair value estimates from analysts and InvestingPro, suggest that the company's shares may have room to grow. This is especially relevant when considering Morgan Stanley's Overweight rating and steady price target for EHang, reflecting optimism about the company's future performance.
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