Citadel Secures Record Stake in Nio Ahead of Pivotal Earnings Report
Shanghai, Thursday, 21 May 2026.
Ahead of Nio’s first-quarter earnings, hedge fund Citadel boosted its stake by 40.3% to a record 13.2 million shares, even as traders brace for an 8% stock swing.
Institutional Maneuvers and Strategic Accumulation
As Nio Inc. ($NIO) prepares to unveil its first-quarter 2026 financial results today, May 21, institutional investors have been aggressively repositioning their portfolios [1][3]. Chicago-based hedge fund Citadel notably increased its stake in the electric vehicle manufacturer by 40.3% during the first three months of the year [2]. By acquiring 3.8 million shares between January and March, Citadel brought its total holdings to a record 13.2 million shares, building upon a previous base of 9.4 million shares [2]. This aggressive accumulation, which valued the position at $79.8 million by the end of March 2026, makes Citadel the eighth-largest institutional shareholder in the company [2]. The hedge fund’s strategy also includes a significant derivatives play, maintaining 9 million call options alongside 5.2 million put options [2].