Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options put/call open interest 1.35, read 2026-10-29
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price20.29 USD
Fair value23.06
Ethical score10.0/100
RatingAVOID
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-09-24Read Markdown21.35-5.0% to today ✓Markup gives way to Markdown after a 5% slide in 5 weeks
2026-08-22Read Markup22.48-9.7% to today Distribution gives way to Markup after a 36% rise in 7 weeks
2026-07-02Read Distribution16.53+22.7% to today First review on file: Distribution
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
Autohome Inc. holds its Markdown at $20.29. Elevated stress, defensive posture warranted, held for 47 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-10-27
Phase
Markdown · caution
Quantitative state
Elevated stress, defensive posture warranted, held for 47 days
Price at the screen
$20.29
Valuation
17.64 trailing · 15.27 forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 10.0
Beta
0.27
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Cash ratio
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Permissible
Core business clean
Its core business isn't built on prohibited lines: no gambling, alcohol, tobacco, weapons, or interest-based lending.
Pass
Debt load
2.75%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is just 2.8% of its assets, well under the one-third ceiling: it does not run on borrowed money.
Pass
Interest-bearing cash
871.41%
Below 33%
Interest-bearing cash and securities are 871.4% of assets, above the one-third limit.
Fail
Receivables
0.00%
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is 0.0% of assets, under the 49% limit.
Pass
Revenue purity
10.23%
Below 5%
10.2% of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, over the 5% line.
Fail
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
Autohome's business is fine, but its cash and interest-bearing securities are about 871% of its assets, well over the ~33% line, so it does not pass on the financial screens.
Read as at 2026-10-30. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
Follow this verdict
Get an email when ATHM's ethical verdict changes
Today ATHM does not pass the screen. If new figures move it to a pass, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
Free, no account needed. Every email has a link to stop.
What the Numbers Say It Is Worth
The Fair Value Range
Our analysis reads AVOID: it trades at roughly a 14% discount to our $23.06 fair value, weak competitive moat.
Fair value range in USD, drawn from the 2026-10-27 screen. The gold marker is the market price at the same screen. A 13.6% margin of safety to the base estimate.
Third-party analyst targets: 12 covering, consensus Hold. The average target sits +3% from the screen price.
Reading the gap · Our model sees value the Street hasn't fully caught up to yet.
Price History & Projections
Where it has been, where the models see it going. History from market close data; projection points are our fair-value estimates and third-party analyst targets, dated to the 2026-10-27 screen.
Fair value and rating are our own model estimates; the Street's range reflects third-party analyst estimates. Analysis, not advice.
The Business, in Plain Words
China's Top Car Site Loses Ground Fast
Picture a Beijing driver hunting for a new car online. Autohome once owned that search, yet its revenue has fallen 28 percent while the market slowed. We pass because the business shows a weak moat, return on equity of just 4 percent and a forward multiple of 14.3 times that offers no real margin of safety at the current price.
The numbers tell a clear story of contraction rather than opportunity. Profit margins sit at 18 percent but top-line decline and thin returns on equity point to structural pressure in a market the company no longer dominates. Eleven analysts rate the shares a hold with a median target below the current level, underlining limited upside.
Cash ratio failure on the ethical screen rules the name out regardless of valuation. Currency and regulatory exposure in China add further uncertainty that a low growth profile cannot offset. Analysis, not advice.
The risks · The things to watch: its business and earnings are exposed to China and to currency swings.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
Where & How to Trade
ATHM trades on the NYSE (the company is based in China). As a listed security it is accessible through almost any international broker offering its home market. New to this, or investing from abroad? Our guide to accessing global markets covers brokers, currencies and the practical steps.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-10-27Markdown$20.37+0.0%Entry 10
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-10-20Markdown$20.37-1.5%Entry 9
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 1.5% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-10-13Markdown$20.67-3.0%Entry 8
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 3.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it none, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-10-02Markdown$21.30-0.2%Entry 7
Our analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-09-24Markdown · changed$21.35-5.0%Entry 6
The framework has shifted from markup to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 5.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-08-22Markup · changed$22.48+4.4%Entry 5
The framework has shifted from distribution to markup since the last review. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved up 4.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-07-22Distribution$21.53+30.2%Entry 4
Our analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved up 30.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-07-18Distribution$16.53+0.0%Entry 3
Our analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it D, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is sitting below its long-term trend line with momentum reading bearish. Over the past year the shares are down 33%. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 13%. The street (12 analysts) rates it hold, with a mean price target of $21.
2026-07-03Distribution$16.53+0.0%Entry 2
Our analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Distribution$16.53Entry 1
Our analysis reads distribution. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows negative risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
