Cantor Fitzgerald reiterates Lucid stock rating on Saudi plant progress

Cantor Fitzgerald maintains a neutral rating on Lucid Group Inc. (LCID) with an $8.00 price target, citing progress in Saudi Arabia's AMP-2 manufacturing facility. The electric vehicle maker expects initial production at the facility to commence in early 2027, following its completion of construction and entry into industrialization.

The Saudi plant is seen as the most significant catalyst for the year, ahead of the rollout of Lucid's anticipated Midsize platform, which is projected to ramp up production in the second half of 2027. Cantor Fitzgerald anticipates Lucid to disclose third-quarter production and delivery figures next week, with Visible Alpha projecting a total of 6,367 vehicles for the period, while Cantor Fitzgerald's estimate is more conservative at 4,107 vehicles.

The investment firm notes that Lucid is aggressively depleting cash reserves, a crucial aspect to consider amid intensified production efforts. CEO Silvio Napoli announced the conclusion of restructuring efforts with Alix Partners, and management is now focused on enhancing execution and streamlining operations. Lucid Group's second-quarter earnings fell short of Wall Street estimates, reporting a loss of $2.78 per share on revenue of around $405.35 million.

The company also revealed a collaboration with European ride-hailing platform Bolt to produce and deploy autonomous vehicles across Europe, aiming to deploy at least 25,000 self-driving vehicles in various markets. Additionally, Lucid announced a recall of over 27,000 Air sedans in the United States due to a potential fire risk posed by an overheating exterior lighting circuit.