Finimize - 🚗 BYD’s going FTW

Hi Reader, here's what you need to know for January 31st in 3:08 minutes.

🌋 The dust from last year’s crypto catastrophe is finally starting to settle, and the shell-shocked world’s rebuilding bit by bit. So listen to our lead crypto analyst Jonathan Hobbs on the Finimize Podcast, and find out what’s changed since the FTX explosion, and what’s in store for crypto. Listen here

Today's big stories

Chinese EV maker BYD reported game-changing yearly results
These weight-loss drugs could add some heft to your portfolio – Read Now
Ryanair reported record results for its Christmas quarter

Charging Ahead

What’s Going On Here?

Chinese EV giant BYD reported the kind of yearly results most firms dream about on Monday.

What Does This Mean?

BYD bid farewell to combustion-engine vehicles last April, and shifted gears to focus solely on fully electric and plug-in hybrids – a move that’s paid off handsomely for the auto behemoth. The firm’s in-house production of key components, like chips and batteries, let it cruise past the supply chain disruptions and Covid-induced issues that plagued competitors, selling nearly 2 million cars in 2022 – over four times more than the previous four years combined. No wonder the firm’s finances look so healthy: net profit's expected to come in as high as $2.5 billion, up a staggering 458% from the previous year. And it looks like the good times are set to roll on too: the company’s eyeing up a move into the luxury car market, where profit margins tend to be much higher.

Why Should I Care?

Zooming in: Supply-chain superstar.
Tesla might have a 400,000-car lead in the fully-electric car market, but BYD’s top-selling models are heating up at home – while Tesla’s Model 3 saw a chilling dip. What’s more, the Chinese EV giant’s making a bold push into overseas markets, and has ordered a fleet of car carriers to ensure delivery and take further control of its own supply chain. And on top of its own products, the firm might even offer to transport other manufacturers' vehicles too.

The bigger picture: The throne’s secure.
Sure, BYD's impressive, but it’s got some catching up to do to beat Toyota. The Japanese car giant held onto its title as the world's biggest automaker for the third year in a row in 2022, selling a show-stopping 10.5 million cars. Granted, that was down 0.1% from the previous year, but it's still way better than their closest competitor Volkswagen – which had its lowest sales in over ten years.

You might also like: Tesla’s stock could actually be a little too low at this price.

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Analyst Take

Could These Obesity-Drug Stocks Make Your Portfolio Look Big?

By Luke Suddards, Analyst

We’ve all been there: struggling to zip a favorite pair of jeans after packing on a few extra pounds.

The fact that it affects so many of us is what makes the prospect of breakthrough weight-loss drug treatments so exciting – and potentially so lucrative.

That’s today’s Insight: the two pharma giants that could help fatten your portfolio – while slimming some waistlines.

Read or listen to the Insight here

Get the best of both worlds

There’s no telling what we’re in for this year.

After all, there’s a lot of change on the horizon: a possible recession, China’s potential recovery, and – well, all the same old issues investors were up against last year.

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