This post was originally published on this site
Rivian Automotive Inc.’s stock rose Wednesday, after D.A. Davidson upgraded the stock and said headlines on the electric vehicle maker are becoming more positive.
“The most recent one — RIVN’s imminent entry into Europe with its delivery van — was expected eventually, but far earlier than we anticipated,” analyst Michael Shlisky wrote in a note to clients.
Shlisky upgraded the stock to neutral from underperform and raised his stock price target to $18 from $11.
Amazon.com Inc.
AMZN,
said Monday the first of its new, custom electric-delivery vans made by Rivian
RIVN,
are arriving in Europe, rolling out first in Germany.
More than 300 electric last-mile delivery vans are coming to Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf “in the coming weeks,” Amazon said, joining a fleet of thousands of electric vans already in operation in Europe.
Amazon announced last year that it plans to invest more than EUR1 billion ($1.09 billion) to electrify its European transportation network.
Amazon began rolling out its custom electric delivery vans from Rivian in the U.S. last summer and it has more than 3,000 vans delivering packages across the U.S.
The company’s goal is to have 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian, of which it was an early backer, on the road globally by 2030, Amazon said.
Rivian stock got a boost on Monday before the July 4 holiday when it announced second-quarter EV production that was more than triple that of a year ago, and deliveries that nearly tripled. The entire EV sector rose after delivery and production data from a host of companies, among them industry leader Tesla Inc.
TSLA,
and the Chinese players.
See also:Lucid stock sets a record win streak as a rising EV tide helps investors shrug off a Citi downgrade
On Wednesday, D.A. Davidson said the numbers were short of its model but noted they beat consensus, which it said was a low bar.
“Nonetheless, the beat was viewed positively and the stock rebounded, as RIVN noted it remains on-track to meet its full-year goals,” Shlisky wrote.
Other positives include Rivian’s recent acquisition of Iternio, owner of ABRP (A Better Route Planner), an app for drivers of all EV brands that helps with planning charging stops on long-term trips.
“Once fully integrated, ABRP will help the in-cabin experience for RIVN users; more importantly, in our view, the data from the app cuts across brands and may help RIVN with product planning, marketing, and other key aspects of its strategy,” the analyst said.
Read now: Tesla just walloped delivery expectations, but there’s still one big unknown
One other recent development, the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to abandon its EV-ethanol credit was a positive for Rivian, as it was one of the only companies not to qualify for the credit, since its vehicles are too heavy.
Still, there are reasons to remain cautious about Rivian, wrote Shlinsky.
“Besides the introduction of competitive EV SUVs and pickup trucks, RIVN investors are facing potential dilution as capital is raised to fund the new Georgia plant, where the R2 platform will launch,” he wrote.
The company is also still dealing with supplier changeovers and ramp-up challenges, “and may be facing increased cancellations or production-backlog mismatches, as the recent parking-lot sale at the Normal plant suggests. The mixed narrative keeps us from recommending the stock at the moment.”
Meanwhile, Amazon has been testing deliveries with Rivian preproduction vehicles in Europe since last year, allowing it to evaluate them in different climates and geographies.
The partners have designed a shorter, thinner van than used in the U.S. to better fit Europe’s more tightly-packed cities and narrower streets.
Rivian’s stock has gained 6% in the year to date, while the S&P 500
SPX,
has gained 16%.
