Unitree Robotics shares plunge 18% on 2nd trading day after 460% debut surge; analysts see it as normal adjustment
Visitors watch humanoid robots of Unitree Robotics boxing at the World Intelligence Expo 2026 in Tianjin, North China, on May 30, 2026. The expo brings together over 700 exhibitors to showcase cutting-edge technologies, products and application scenarios in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Photo: XinhuaShares of Unitree Robotics tumbled more than 18 percent on Thursday, their second day of trading, giving back a significant portion of the spectacular gains of 460 percent recorded on debut. Market observers remain cautious-optimistic about the broader embodied intelligence sector. But they also mentioned that the share drop is normal market adjustment as the IPO was "extremely hot."They also noted that there is no direct correlation between oversubscription multiples and the certainty of product deliveries or commercialization prospects. Unitree's stocks fell below 700 yuan ($104.1) per share, closing at 687 yuan on Thursday with a decline of 18.7 percent, valuing the company at approximately 277.9 billion yuan. On its first day of listing on Wednesday, Unitree's shares had soared as much as 460 percent.Financial results showed that Unitree's rapid growth is moderating. In the first quarter of this year, revenue reached 423 million yuan, with year-on-year growth slowing from 332.64 percent in the previous year to 68.49 percent.Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Information and Communications Economic Expert Committee, told the Global Times that the timing of a true boom remains uncertain - possibly next year or a decade away. The core challenge, he said, is high costs combined with limited ability to displace existing solutions in key scenarios: humanoid robots struggle to outperform industrial robots in factories, robot vacuums in homes, and specialized companion robots in emotional-support roles. "After the IPO excitement, these practical issues will come into focus," Pan said, adding that market expectations for Unitree will only intensify and that the real test has just begun.Separately, Yang Delong, chief economist at Shenzhen-based First Seafront Fund, told the Global Times that the long-term technology rally remains the market's primary investment theme and could extend for years, with periodic corrections being normal."Asian markets saw sharp declines mid-week before rebounding." He characterized recent pullbacks in technology stocks as aftershocks from July's corrections rather than the start of a sustained downturn. "Many tech shares had already undergone significant bubble-squeezing in July," Yang argued, leaving limited further downside. Observers also noted that the embodied intelligence sector is waiting for a major technology breakthrough to achieve wide usage - grabbing the consumer market.Speaking at the 2026 World Robot Conference on Thursday, Unitree founder and CEO Wang Xingxing said that a robot that can be dropped into an unfamiliar environment - including a home - and complete around 80 percent of tasks would mark the "ChatGPT moment" for humanoid robots, a tipping point the industry could reach in two to three yearsThe company is advancing "physical AI robot self-evolution." Once operational, he noted, the system could sharply improve development efficiency and iteration speed. Wang described the approach as a potential pathway to large-scale robot applications and a direction the industry may collectively pursue.Global Times
