If playing catch up with Tesla is what everyone in the auto industry is about then Stellantis, the company formed from the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group, has had a good start – its shares have far outpaced its U.S. rival in its inaugural year.
But this is just the first lap.
Fixing its business in China and overcapacity in Europe are just two areas where analysts want to see Stellantis making progress when CEO Carlos Tavares unveils his detailed business plan on March 1.
After all, despite its shares surging more than 60 percent since their debut on Jan. 18, 2021 compared with a 27 percent gain for Tesla's, Stellantis' market value of 59 billion euros ($67 billion) is still just 6 percent of its U.S. rival's.
A strong first year augurs well, though, with Jefferies analysts saying Tavares has shown vision and ambition with a "sustained stream of strategic initiatives."