Can You Get Rich Just by Selling Batteries? CATL Earned a Staggering RM 42.008 Billion in 2025

On 10 March, China’s new energy leader Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) released its 2025 annual report. The company achieved a net profit attributable to shareholders of RMB 72.201 billion (approximately RM 42.008 billion) for the full year, a year-on-year increase of 42.28%.

Revenue reached RMB 423.702 billion (approximately RM 24.2993 billion). Both profitability and market competitiveness improved significantly, further strengthening its leading position in the global power battery and energy storage battery sectors. Its development also provides a reference for Malaysia’s new energy industry.

Company Profile: Global New Energy Giant with Deep Roots in Malaysia

In short, CATL is a world-leading new energy innovation and technology company founded in 2011, headquartered in Ningde, Fujian Province, China. Its core business covers the R&D, production and sales of power batteries and energy storage batteries, committed to providing first-class solutions and services for global new energy applications.

As a key player in the global new energy industry, the company has established six R&D centres and 13 manufacturing bases worldwide, with business covering Germany, the United States, Japan and other countries and regions. It has accelerated its presence in Malaysia, deeply integrating with the local industry while reaching across the entire Southeast Asian market.

In 2025, the MY-BLUE M3 standalone project at the UMW Industrial Park in Selangor, Malaysia, invested and constructed by Xiamen New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. under CATL, was successfully completed. With a total construction area of approximately 50,000 square metres, it will further meet the demand for power batteries in Southeast Asia and support the local energy transition.

In addition, the company has partnered with Malaysian energy storage developer Fusion Power to build a 1GWh energy storage power station in Kuala Lumpur. The project will become one of the largest grid-side energy storage projects in Southeast Asia and is scheduled to start commissioning in the second quarter of 2026.

Market Performance: Nine Consecutive Championships in Two Segments, Significant Overseas Share Growth

As of 2024, CATL ranked first globally in power battery usage for eight consecutive years and first in energy storage battery shipments for four consecutive years. This advantage expanded further in 2025. According to the annual report, CATL’s global power battery usage market share rose to 39.2% in 2025, ranking first worldwide for nine consecutive years, with its overseas market share jumping to 30%. Its energy storage battery shipment market share reached 30.4%, retaining the global top position for five consecutive years.

Growth Drivers: Empowered by Technological Innovation, Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement Across the Industry Chain

Profit growth was supported by technological innovation and full industry chain layout. In 2025, CATL’s R&D investment reached RMB 22.147 billion (approximately RM 12.702 billion), a year-on-year increase of 19.02%. Its cumulative R&D investment over the past decade exceeded RMB 90 billion (approximately RM 5.1619 billion). Its independently developed sodium-ion battery became the world’s first sodium-ion power battery certified to the new national standard. The second-generation Shenxing Ultra-Fast Charging Battery achieved a breakthrough of “5 minutes of charging, over 520 kilometres of driving range”.

Meanwhile, the company has built an ecological closed loop of “battery production, usage, cascade utilisation, recycling and resource regeneration”, effectively reducing costs and improving profit margins. In 2025, CATL’s gross profit margin and net profit margin reached 26.3% and 18.1% respectively, both hitting five-year highs. Its weighted average return on net assets stood at 24.91%, demonstrating strong asset operation efficiency.

Shareholder Returns: Stable Dividend Payout Ratio, Cumulative Dividends Near RMB100 Billion

Alongside strong profitability, CATL has continued to reward shareholders. The company proposed a generous dividend plan of RMB69.57 (approximately RM39.89) in cash for every 10 shares to all shareholders. It has distributed 50% of its net profit attributable to shareholders as cash dividends for three consecutive years, with cumulative dividends set to approach RMB100 billion (approximately RM5.7354 billion).

Cooperation Opportunities: Supporting Malaysia to Become a Regional Lithium Battery Hub

As a bellwether of the global new energy industry, CATL’s steady growth not only reflects the strength of China’s new energy industry but also brings important opportunities for Malaysia’s new energy development. Malaysia is currently accelerating its new energy transition. CATL’s localisation drive has created jobs and upgraded the local industrial chain. Its technology and experience in energy storage and power batteries will also help Malaysia achieve its new energy goals under the 2030 New Industrial Master Plan.

Meanwhile, CATL plans to export energy storage batteries to the Middle East and Africa. Further developments in its Malaysia layout will continue to be worth watching for the Malaysian market.