Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Shares Down 1.3% – Time to Sell?

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) traded down 1.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday. The company traded as low as $355.23 and last traded at $362.44. 26,449,651 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 48% from the average daily volume of 50,742,039 shares. The stock had previously closed at $367.16.

Key Tesla News

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Tesla’s Cybercab robotaxi fleet in Austin reportedly grew eightfold in one month to more than 300 vehicles, with Dallas expected to be the next expansion market. Rapid fleet growth could provide tangible evidence that Tesla’s autonomous-ride-hailing strategy is scaling. Tesla Cybercab robotaxi fleet expansion
• Positive Sentiment: A reported 1 GWh Megapack order from Apollo Power highlights potential demand for Tesla’s energy-storage products from AI data centers. California virtual-power-plant initiatives and the rollout of Tesla-Pilot Megacharger sites also support longer-term energy and charging growth, although near-term revenue visibility remains limited. Tesla Megapack order
• Neutral Sentiment: Tesla is scheduled to unveil its next-generation Roadster in Texas, potentially demonstrating SpaceX-related thruster technology. The event could create a short-term catalyst, but the vehicle has been delayed for nearly nine years, and investors may focus more on production timing, pricing and commercial relevance than on a dramatic prototype demonstration. Tesla Roadster reveal
• Neutral Sentiment: Barclays revived speculation that Tesla and SpaceX could announce a merger before Tesla’s potential December annual meeting. Neither company has confirmed a transaction, making the idea potentially transformative but highly speculative. Tesla-SpaceX merger speculation
• Negative Sentiment: Investors remain concerned that Tesla’s valuation—around 336 times earnings—already prices in substantial success from robotaxis, AI and energy storage. Upcoming third-quarter results are expected to show weaker earnings, while automotive margins and free cash flow remain key pressure points. Tesla’s previous quarterly EPS also missed consensus estimates.
• Negative Sentiment: Competition is intensifying: Waymo’s progress and General Motors’ autonomous-driving efforts challenge Tesla’s premium robotaxi narrative. Analysts and commentators also question whether the Roadster can materially improve Tesla’s core vehicle business after years of delays, contributing to the stock’s recent decline. Waymo competition with Tesla

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have issued reports on TSLA. Mizuho set a $450.00 target price on Tesla and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $410.00 price objective on shares of Tesla and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. HSBC restated a “reduce” rating and issued a $157.00 price objective on shares of Tesla in a report on Monday, October 5th. Truist Financial set a $370.00 target price on Tesla and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Finally, William Blair reiterated a “market perform” rating on shares of Tesla in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and five have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Tesla currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $412.33.

Tesla Stock Down 1.3%

The company has a market capitalization of $1.43 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 335.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 24.37 and a beta of 1.92. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $358.60 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $377.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.94, a quick ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.50 by ($0.17). Tesla had a return on equity of 3.82% and a net margin of 3.67%. The firm had revenue of $28.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.42 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.33 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 25.5% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Tesla, Inc. will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,606 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $360.13, for a total value of $938,498.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 25,972 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,353,296.36. The trade was a 9.12% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. 19.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Tesla

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Bamco Inc. NY raised its holdings in Tesla by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. Bamco Inc. NY now owns 12,524,752 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $5,267,911,000 after purchasing an additional 591,243 shares during the last quarter. One Plus One Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Tesla during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,009,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Tesla by 23.6% during the first quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 56,240 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $20,908,000 after acquiring an additional 10,747 shares in the last quarter. H&H International Investment LLC bought a new stake in Tesla during the 1st quarter worth approximately $1,267,259,000. Finally, MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB raised its stake in shares of Tesla by 12.4% in the third quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 43,600 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $15,470,000 after purchasing an additional 4,806 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 66.20% of the company’s stock.

About Tesla

Tesla, Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) designs, manufactures and sells electric vehicles, energy storage systems and solar energy products. Its vehicle lineup includes the Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck and Tesla Semi. The company also develops vehicle software and driver-assistance features, operates a global Supercharger network and provides related vehicle services.

Tesla’s energy business offers battery storage products for residential, commercial and utility customers, including Powerwall and Megapack, as well as solar panels and solar roofing products.