Should I buy Rivian stock in 2025?

What is Rivian?

How much is Rivian stock?

The price of Rivian stock is falling this week. As of now, Rivian shares trade at USD 15.01, down -3.07% over the past 24 hours and -4.00% for the week, giving the company a market capitalization of USD 17.75 billion. Average daily trading volume over the last 3 months stands at 32.86 million shares. Rivian does not currently have a P/E ratio or pay dividends, and the stock’s beta is 1.87, indicating relatively high volatility. This means Rivian’s share price may experience large swings—potentially offering opportunities for active investors, but also requiring careful attention to risk for NZ market participants.

Our full analysis of the Rivian stock

After a rigorous review of Rivian Automotive’s latest quarterly results, its stock performance over the past three years, and the integration of advanced analytics sourced from financial indicators, technical signals, sector dynamics, and key peer comparisons via our proprietary algorithms, one message stands out: Rivian has entered a pivotal phase of transformation. The company’s improving fundamentals, robust strategic partnerships, and strengthening position within the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem make its equity an increasingly intriguing proposition. So, why might Rivian’s stock once again represent a strategic entry point into the global EV sector as we approach 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) has shown remarkable resilience over the past year, with its share price rallying 46.82% in the twelve months through May 2025, advancing 22.69% over the past six months. This trajectory is notable, especially against the backdrop of heightened volatility—RIVN’s 65-day average beta of 1.87 reflects considerable trading activity relative to broader markets.

Several key events have acted as tailwinds:

• Volkswagen Partnership: A USD 1 billion investment by Volkswagen, unlocked by Rivian’s positive Q1 2025 results, underscores profound institutional confidence in Rivian’s operational roadmap and technical know-how. This alliance is set to support both scale and innovation.
• Financial Momentum: For the second consecutive quarter, Rivian reported a positive gross profit, recording a 17% gross margin in Q1 2025 (+7 points YoY), signaling an auspicious shift toward sustainable operational profitability.
• Sector Dynamics: The macro context remains constructive for US-listed EV pure plays, as global regulatory incentives and consumer demand continue to favour sustainable mobility solutions. While tariffs are evolving in the US, Rivian’s exclusively American manufacturing base and premium positioning provide insulation compared to directly China-exposed peers.

All these factors collectively signal a supportive market context for Rivian, suggesting the company’s valuation may be entering an attractive new phase for forward-focused investors.

Technical Analysis

On a technical basis, Rivian’s chart structure has evolved considerably through 2025, now exhibiting renewed upward impetus:

• Relative Strength Index (RSI): The current 14-day RSI sits at 62.37, just below classical overbought territory (70), pointing to sustained buying interest but without excessive bullish exuberance—a hallmark of healthy momentum.
• MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence): At 1.00, the MACD presents a clear bullish signal, suggesting underlying momentum is intact, and the potential for a further upward extension remains.
• Moving Averages: RIVN is consolidating above its key short-term moving averages (trading range: $14.96–$15.69), with a strong intermediate support at $14.96 and an upside cap at $18.86 (52-week high), defining a well-bounded risk/reward profile. The recent rebound from $9.50 (52-week low) to current levels has erased much of the bear phase on intermediate timeframes.
• Chart Structure: Sustained closes above $15.00, especially in the presence of consolidating volume and improving sentiment, suggest renewed accumulation by informed players.

In essence, current technical signals point to a favourable short- to medium-term structure, and a breakout above $18.86 could trigger a new bullish cycle.

Fundamental Analysis

Rivian’s rapid progression is best captured by its improved financial metrics and expanding operational footprint:

• Revenue and Profitability: Q1 2025 sales rose 3% YoY to $1.24 billion, comfortably beating analyst expectations ($1.02 billion consensus), while gross profit improved to $206 million, a margin of 17%. While Rivian remains loss-making at the net level (Q1 net loss of $541 million), this is a dramatic 62.6% improvement YoY, as the company pushes toward breakeven.
• Growth Pipeline: The upcoming R2 launch (2026) at a price point of $45,000 is poised to capture volumes in the high-demand midmarket segment, potentially unlocking exponential revenue growth.
• Strategic Partnerships: Deepening alliances, highlighted by Amazon’s ongoing commercial vehicle orders and the Volkswagen joint venture, provide technology synergies, guaranteed demand, and scale benefits unrivaled by many newer entrants.
• Valuation Metrics: Although Rivian’s negative net income precludes a meaningful P/E or PEG ratio, the improving sales/price (P/S) relationship and rising gross margins suggest that the current $17.75 billion market cap may not fully price in forward potential, especially as loss reduction accelerates.

Structural Strengths:

• Proprietary technology spanning battery, drivetrain, and vehicle software
• Established “Adventure Network” charging infrastructure
• Evolving FleetOS software suite, designed for B2B clients—a powerful adjacency to mass-market passenger EVs
• American manufacturing foundation, advantageous amid global supply chain recalibrations

Collectively, these foundations enable Rivian to sustain its premium market positioning and offer an increasingly attractive fundamental picture for investors seeking growth exposure in the evolving EV universe.

Volume and Liquidity

Rivian’s status as a highly liquid growth stock further adds to its appeal:

• Trading Volume: Average daily turnover is robust, at 32.86 million shares. This elevated activity underscores resilient investor and institutional appetite and helps dampen excessive volatility, despite a high beta.
• Float and Market Confidence: A freely floating public float of 766.55 million shares enables dynamic, real-time valuation recalibration, providing fertile ground for capital inflows on positive news and pre-catalyst accumulation.

This strong liquidity profile provides confidence that shifts in investor sentiment can be rapidly translated into price action, facilitating both strategic accumulation and tactical trading—a quality sought after in high-growth thematic equities.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

Rivian’s prospective growth drivers are both multiple and meaningful:

• Upcoming R2 Launch: The scheduled rollout of R2 in 2026 at a $45,000 price point will give Rivian exposure to the mid-size, mass-market EV segment—a critical battleground for global adoption and scaling.
• Volkswagen Collaboration: The $1 billion Volkswagen investment not only boosts financial flexibility but also opens doors to joint technology development, shared platforms, and scale-driven cost reductions—catalyzing operating leverage.
• Improving Margins: A 17% gross margin in Q1 2025 (versus 10% in Q4 2024) demonstrates traction in cost engineering, manufacturing learning curves, and supply chain optimization.
• Ongoing Innovation: Rivian’s proprietary Adventure Network, FleetOS platform, and continually enhanced vehicle autonomy stack underscore an R&D focus that positions the company at the vanguard of the next-generation EV experience.
• Strong ESG Credentials: As a US-based, all-electric manufacturer, Rivian stands to benefit from global and domestic policy tailwinds favouring clean transport and sustainable manufacturing—a recurring theme attracting ESG-focused institutional capital.
• Market Dynamics: Despite policy headwinds such as shifting US tariffs, Rivian’s American manufacturing base allows it to avoid the brunt of overseas trade disruptions, and its alignment with key commercial clients, such as Amazon, creates predictable, high-volume cash flows.

In summary, Rivian enters mid-2025 with a full slate of positive catalysts—each capable of acting as a springboard for valuation rerating and heightened investor attention.

Investment Strategies

Given the current setup, Rivian offers a compelling palette of entry strategies, adaptable across different time horizons:

• Short Term: Tactical traders may view present support near $14.96 as an efficient risk-defined entry zone, with improving technical structure and healthy volume flow suggesting upside extension if $18.86 is breached. The imminent Q2 results and pipeline updates offer potential near-term catalysts.
• Medium Term: Medium-horizon investors can look to position ahead of the expected R2 pre-launch cycle (ahead of 2026), benefiting from likely upward momentum as market sentiment builds around new models and further Volkswagen collaboration news.
• Long Term: For long-term growth portfolios, Rivian’s ongoing transformation—advancing recurrent gross profit, tightening losses, and deepening strategic partnerships—presents the prospect of compounding growth that could see the company become a lead beneficiary in the secular EV adoption supercycle.
• Ideal Positioning: Investing during this transition zone—post gross margin inflection and ahead of the R2 launch and further capital inflows from partners—seems to represent an excellent opportunity for those seeking exposure to disruptive innovation in autos.

The confluence of rising fundamentals, robust liquidity, and meaningful strategic inflection points suggests a timely potential entry across investment horizons.

Is it the Right Time to Buy Rivian?

In summing up, Rivian demonstrates an improving business trajectory distinguished by:

• Consistent Revenue and Margin Growth: Progression from rapid topline expansion to gross profitability, with losses narrowing quarter-on-quarter.
• Deepening Strategic Alliances: Large-scale Volkswagen tie-up and Amazon fleet partnership solidifying both market access and technical expertise.
• Catalyst-Rich Outlook: Major product rollouts, relentless innovation, and capital infusions driving renewed excitement and upside potential.
• Technical and Liquidity Strengths: Attractive price structure, robust trading dynamics, and a supportive long-term narrative.

For New Zealand investors seeking access to the next wave of EV expansion, ESG-growth, and thematic US tech leadership, Rivian stands out as an increasingly compelling candidate. The current phase—marked by operational inflection, partnership leverage, and product innovation—justifies renewed interest from both growth-oriented and institutional investors. In the context of evolving global trends towards electrification and sustainable transport, Rivian’s improving fundamentals and positive technical setup indicate the stock may be entering a new bullish phase that is difficult to ignore.

As the market looks toward 2026 and the unfolding of Rivian’s next chapter, this stock appears poised at an inflection point that serious investors will want to watch closely—potentially marking Rivian as a strategic cornerstone in the tech-driven mobility revolution.

How to buy Rivian stock in New Zealand?

Buying Rivian stock online is straightforward and secure for New Zealand investors, thanks to reputable brokers regulated by the FMA (Financial Markets Authority) or equivalent overseas authorities. You can invest in Rivian either by purchasing actual shares (spot buying) or via derivatives like Contracts for Difference (CFDs), allowing for leveraged strategies. Both methods have their own advantages and risks. It’s essential to compare online brokers for fees, features, and access; you’ll find a practical comparison further down this page to help you select the right platform for your needs.

Spot Buying

Spot buying means purchasing real Rivian shares, making you an actual partial owner of the company. With this method, your shares are held in your brokerage account, and your gains or losses track the real share price. Typical fees for NZ investors include a flat commission per transaction, which is often around NZD $5–$15 per order, depending on the broker.

Example

Suppose the Rivian share price is USD $15.01 (approx. NZD $24.50). With NZD $1,000, you can buy around 40 shares (NZD $980 value plus a typical NZD $5 fee).
✔️ If the share price rises 10% (to approx. NZD $26.95), your shares would be worth NZD $1,100.
Result: +NZD $100 gross profit, or +10% return on your investment.

Trading via CFD

CFD (Contract for Difference) trading allows you to profit from Rivian’s price movements without owning the actual shares. Instead, you enter into a contract with your broker, capturing the rise or fall. CFDs are popular for their flexibility, including the option to go “short” or use leverage (borrowed funds). Fees include the spread (difference between buy and sell prices) and an overnight financing charge if you hold positions for several days.

Example

You open a CFD on Rivian with NZD $1,000 and use 5x leverage, giving market exposure of NZD $5,000.
✔️ If Rivian’s price rises by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: +NZD $400 return on a NZD $1,000 stake (not accounting for fees such as the spread or overnight costs).

Final Advice

Before investing in Rivian, it’s crucial to compare brokers for their fees, currency conversion rates, account minimums, and supported products. Choosing the right method—owning real shares or trading using CFDs—should align with your personal objectives, risk tolerance, and investment horizon. Explore the broker comparison just below to find the best platform for your investing style and make an informed decision.

Our 7 tips for buying Rivian stock

The latest news about Rivian

Rivian's first quarter 2025 results show continued improvement in gross margins and a narrower net loss year-on-year. For the first quarter of 2025, Rivian reported revenues of USD 1.24 billion, exceeding consensus estimates and marking a year-on-year increase of 3%. Gross profit reached USD 206 million, reflecting a margin of 17%, its second consecutive quarter of positive gross profit—a milestone showing operational progress. Notably, net quarterly losses were reduced substantially to USD 541 million, a 62.6% improvement compared to the same quarter last year. While Rivian remains unprofitable, these results reinforce the company's transition toward financial sustainability, a point closely watched by institutional investors, including those in New Zealand with exposure to global growth equities.

The strategic alliance with Volkswagen, capped by a USD 1 billion investment following the strong quarter, underpins Rivian's capital position and innovation capacity. Official confirmation that Volkswagen will invest this tranche reinforces Rivian’s ability to fund expansion, technology advancement, and planned launches, including the highly anticipated R2 model. This deal is particularly constructive for global investors, as it not only brings new capital but also signals external validation from one of Europe’s largest automakers. For investors and asset managers in New Zealand, this partnership is a significant risk-mitigating factor, boosting Rivian’s competitive position and opening up possibilities for future collaborations and cross-market technology sharing—which can potentially translate into medium-term value for international ESG-focused funds.

Rivian's R2 electric vehicle, priced at USD 45,000 and set for a 2026 release, is positioned to expand market reach in affordable EV segments. The R2 launch is a central feature of Rivian’s growth strategy, aiming to address a broader customer base by offering a more accessible EV than its current high-end models. This upcoming vehicle responds directly to intensified global competition and rising demand for mid-priced electric SUVs and utes—the kind of vehicles increasingly popular among New Zealand buyers seeking adventure and utility. While Rivian does not yet operate a direct sales or service network in New Zealand, expanding its model lineup could make future market entry or OEM collaborations more viable, supporting longer-term investor interest in the region.

The technical picture remains solid, with the stock up nearly 47% over one year and momentum indicators supportive. Rivian shares, currently trading at USD 15.01, have advanced over 22% in the last six months and almost 47% over the past year—outperforming many peers in the EV space. With a 14-day RSI at 62.37 and a MACD maintaining positive territory, technical signals suggest ongoing investor interest and potential resilience, despite recent short-term volatility. For New Zealand market participants with exposure to U.S.-listed vehicles via global managed funds or ETFs, this performance reinforces the attractiveness of the name as a growth story within global portfolios.

No direct regulatory or commercial developments specific to New Zealand have emerged this week, but Rivian's global strategy remains relevant for NZ-domiciled investors focused on innovation and sustainability. Rivian’s pioneering advances—such as the Adventure Network charging infrastructure and proprietary fleet management technology—align with New Zealand’s policy emphasis on electrification and emissions reduction. Even absent a direct presence, Rivian’s progress, strategic partnerships, and product pipeline continue to supply important comparative benchmarks and potential inspiration for local industry, while offering NZ investors diversified exposure to the transition toward electric mobility in international portfolios.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.