Autozi (NASDAQ:AZI) stock spiked 31.6% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the company's founder and chairman announced a sizable personal share purchase plan intended to shore up confidence in the business and its strategic outlook.
Dr. Zhang Houqi - who is also Autozi's controlling shareholder - said he plans to acquire shares incrementally over the next 12 months at a price of $5 per share. The planned outlay is described as a personal investment between $10 million and $30 million. Company filings and public statements frame the purchase as a demonstration of the founder's confidence in the firm's long-term prospects and as support for implementing its three-year strategic framework.
That strategic framework is organized around three main priorities: attaining profitability, expanding Autozi's footprint within China, and launching operations in overseas markets. Management has stated an ambition to create China's first nationwide maintenance parts supply chain platform, alongside building a digital cross-border supply chain platform for international customers.
The company, which operates an ecosystem covering auto parts supply, vehicle supply and insurance services, reported serving more than 100,000 repair shops and generating annual gross merchandise volume (GMV) in excess of RMB 10 billion. Founded in 2010 by Dr. Zhang, who previously held the role of Global Vice President at Lenovo Group, Autozi has positioned itself as a platform operator in the Chinese automotive aftermarket.
Autozi recently navigated notable capital markets pressure, including a near-delisting episode. On January 14, 2026, Nasdaq issued a compliance notice that subsequently canceled a scheduled delisting hearing, removing the immediate risk of being delisted from the exchange. The founder's purchase commitment is publicly characterized as reinforcing the company as it pursues its stated three-year objectives.
Observers will likely weigh the significance of a controlling shareholder using personal funds to support equity demand against the broader challenges the company has faced in the capital markets. The announcement coincided with a large premarket move in the stock, reflecting investor reaction to the founder's financial commitment and the removal of the near-term delisting threat.