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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AEVA vs. LAZR: Which LiDAR Stock Is the Better Bet Now?
Aeva Technologies AEVA and Luminar Technologies LAZR are two front-runners in the evolving LiDAR space, each aiming to capitalize on the demand for sensing systems in autonomous vehicles, industrial automation and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Both companies have recently made strategic pivots and technological advances, drawing attention from investors looking to ride the next wave of transportation (Light Detection and Ranging) is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser and continuously scans the environment in front of a vehicle. It enables an accurate and high-precision estimate of the shape and size of objects in three-dimensional understanding of the surroundings. It is gaining popularity as a crucial technology for the safe and efficient operation of autonomous both firms operating in the same LiDAR vertical, their paths diverge in key areas such as commercialization timelines, customer wins, financial discipline, and capital market strategies. As LiDAR gains traction beyond self-driving into broader safety applications, comparing AEVA and LAZR now is timely. Both offer high-risk, high-reward potential, but the difference lies in their pace of execution and readiness to dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which one is a better investment now. Expanding Momentum and Industrial Diversification: Aeva Technologies has seen a surge in activity throughout 2025, fueled by developments beyond the core automotive market. The company's 4D LiDAR, built on Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology, provides real-time velocity and depth data — setting it apart from traditional time-of-flight (ToF) systems. This technological edge is helping AEVA broaden its reach into industrial applications, where precision and reliability are critical, and opens doors to a wider array of end Wins With Tier-One Players: AEVA's partnership pipeline is robust. A Fortune 500 tech company recently committed up to $50 million — $32.5 million in equity and $17.5 million in manufacturing support — and is expected to act as AEVA's Tier 2 supplier for a top-10 global passenger OEM. The program could scale to multiple models, positioning Aeva Technologies to lock in long-term supply agreements. Management also highlighted a signed letter of intent from that OEM, signaling a potential production award as early as late Expansion and Capacity Building: Unlike many LiDAR players that are heavily reliant on automotive production ramps, AEVA is making a smart push into high-margin industrial sectors. It has secured over 1,000 orders for its Eve 1 precision sensor and is working with customers like SICK AG and LMI Technologies, which serve a combined addressable market of roughly 2 million units annually. Aeva Technologies is targeting 100,000 units in annual production capacity by the end of 2025. Strategic Liquidity Moves and Deleveraging: Luminar has taken deliberate steps to reinforce its balance sheet. Through repurchasing $50 million of its 2026 convertible notes using a mix of cash and equity, and securing a $200 million capital facility from institutional investors, Luminar has improved its liquidity runway through at least the end of 2026. With roughly $400 million in total liquidity and a reduced debt load of $135 million, Luminar is better positioned to fund the transition to its new Halo platform without relying on near-term revenue Platform Offers a Streamlined Path Forward: The company's pivot to a single, unified LiDAR system — Halo — is gaining momentum. OEMs are migrating away from Luminar's legacy Iris system, opting instead for the Halo architecture, which promises quicker deployment, lower development costs, and greater commercial scalability. Prototypes are already in customer hands, with a formal launch expected in late 2026 or early 2027. This shift could position Luminar as a volume-ready LiDAR supplier capable of capturing significant market share in ADAS and safety Industrial and Automotive Partnerships: Luminar's agreements extend beyond passenger vehicles. Its LiDAR will be featured in Caterpillar's off-highway trucks, targeting quarry and aggregate operations, offering validation in demanding environments. Automotive-wise, it's already live on the Volvo EX90 and will soon be featured on the Volvo ES90, representing the only high-performance LiDAR system standard on global production vehicles. Aeva Technologies has climbed nearly 240% year to date, largely fueled by new industrial and OEM partnership announcements. The rapid upswing reflects growing market optimism, though it raises questions about how much near-term success is already priced in. On the other hand, LAZR is down around 31% this year, weighed by commercialization delays and cash flow concerns. Still, if it can deliver on its Halo roadmap, the current valuation could present an attractive opportunity. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Valuation is where the contrast becomes stark. AEVA currently trades at a forward sales multiple of approximately 31.6, signaling aggressive investor expectations for future growth. LAZR, on the other hand, trades at just 1.6X forward sales, offering a more grounded valuation despite its early production wins and robust capital runway. This gap suggests that AEVA's stock price may already be baking in a lot of future success, while LAZR may present a value opportunity. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Both companies are still in the red but are showing signs of improvement. Analysts forecast AEVA's EPS to improve by 21.7% in 2025 and another 12.2% in 2026, driven by early industrial revenues and potential automotive ramp-ups. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Luminar, however, is expected to post a stronger recovery with a 53.6% EPS improvement in 2025, followed by 7.5% in 2026. These forecasts imply that LAZR could deliver stronger bottom-line leverage as revenues scale from existing programs. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research AEVA and LAZR are both navigating the early stages of LiDAR commercialization, each with unique strengths. AEVA stands out with fresh momentum, strategic wins across verticals, and rapid industrial expansion. However, its stretched valuation and continued cash burn temper near-term upside. LAZR, on the other hand, offers better valuation support and a clearer path toward high-volume deployment through its streamlined Halo platform and strong balance stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), reflecting optimistic earnings outlooks and improving investor sentiment. In the end, the choice comes down to investor preference: AEVA for early-stage hypergrowth and vertical diversification, or LAZR for strategic discipline and deeper institutional backing. Either way, both are well worth investing in the LiDAR race. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Luminar Technologies, Inc. (LAZR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Aeva Technologies, Inc. (AEVA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Aeva Technologies, Inc. Common Stock (AEVA): Among the Tech Stocks That Are Up the Most So Far in 2025
We recently compiled a list of the Why These 15 Tech Stocks Are up the Most So Far in 2025. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Aeva Technologies, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ:AEVA) stands against the other tech stocks. Most tech stocks haven't been doing well so far this year, but this isn't a problem that all tech stocks face. The technology sector is broad, and there are always some stocks that still do well regardless of the broader market environment. Many of these companies are leading the way in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. Their ability to adapt and launch new solutions has set them apart from the pack. For example, firms that reported robust growth in large customer contracts or unveiled breakthrough AI tools have seen their shares surge, even as industry giants have struggled with market volatility. It's worth looking into these winners if you're looking for opportunities in this market. For this article, I screened the best-performing tech stocks year-to-date. I will also mention the number of hedge fund investors in these stocks. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). A close-up of a LiDAR-on-chip sensor mounted in a consumer-grade electronic device. Number of Hedge Fund Holders In Q4 2024: 11 Aeva Technologies, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ:AEVA) is a leader in next-generation sensing and perception systems that develops 4D LiDAR technology for autonomous vehicles, industrial robotics, and other applications. The stock is up significantly so far in 2025 after securing a major development program award from a global top 10 passenger OEM for their next-generation production platform planned for multiple vehicle model lines. According to their March 2025 fourth quarter and full year 2024 results announcement, CEO Soroush Salehian said that 2025 would be a year of record revenues with significant growth while reducing spending. Morgan Stanley boosted investor confidence by raising Aeva Technologies, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ:AEVA)'s price target to $5.22 from $4.87 in March 2025. The analyst recognized Aeva's product execution and highlighted a second major OEM win that showed the company's potential to become a significant market player. The stock received additional positive attention when Aeva announced in January 2025 its transfer from the NYSE to the Nasdaq Global Select Market effective January 28, 2025. The consensus price target of $7.14 implies 13.4% upside. AEVA stock is up 32.53% year-to-date. Overall AEVA ranks 12th on our list of the tech stocks that are up the most so far in 2025. While we acknowledge the potential of AEVA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AEVA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this . READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
