Tesla, Inc. $TSLA Position Reduced by Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.

Key Points

• Ferguson Wellman Capital Management cut its Tesla stake by 12.9% in the second quarter, selling 3,183 shares and retaining 21,478 shares valued at approximately $9.0 million. Institutional investors collectively own 66.2% of Tesla.
• Tesla’s robotaxi and Cybercab expansion remain major growth catalysts, supported by new Austin vehicles, potential production-cost advantages and Slovenia’s approval of supervised Full Self-Driving. However, weak China sales, regulatory scrutiny and uncertainty over the commercial model present significant risks.
• Analysts have a consensus “Hold” rating with an average price target of $401.74. Tesla trades at a very high earnings multiple, while its latest quarterly earnings missed estimates despite revenue rising 25.5% year over year.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA - Free Report) by 12.9% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 21,478 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock after selling 3,183 shares during the period. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.'s holdings in Tesla were worth $9,034,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Chapman Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in Tesla during the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Friedenthal Financial grew its position in shares of Tesla by 66.7% in the 1st quarter. Friedenthal Financial now owns 75 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 30 shares in the last quarter. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Tesla in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Texas Capital Bancshares Inc TX acquired a new stake in shares of Tesla during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Finally, Harborfront Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Tesla during the second quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors own 66.20% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Tesla

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Tesla’s Cybercab rollout remains the primary bullish catalyst. The company has added 45 vehicles to its Austin fleet, while CEO Elon Musk says the redesigned manufacturing process could produce Cybercabs more than five times faster. Lower operating costs could help Tesla compete with Waymo and Uber if the technology scales. 45 Tesla Cybercabs Are Now Roaming Austin
• Positive Sentiment: Slovenia approved Tesla’s supervised Full Self-Driving system, making it the sixth European country to do so. Investors view the approval as a possible step toward an EU-wide authorization and additional software subscription revenue. A potential European launch of Cybercab is also supporting the long-term growth narrative. Slovenia clears Tesla’s FSD driver assistance
• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs estimates Tesla’s Cybercab could operate at a cost advantage of as much as $0.30 per mile versus rival autonomous vehicles if Tesla reaches its targeted production costs, strengthening the potential economics of a large robotaxi network. Tesla Cybercab Could Beat Waymo on Cost
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts continue to debate whether Tesla can become a successful robotaxi platform or whether Waymo’s operational experience and sensor-heavy approach give it an advantage. The Cybercab’s early fares have varied widely versus Uber, highlighting that the commercial model is not yet proven. Tesla versus Alphabet’s Waymo
• Negative Sentiment: Tesla’s China sales continue to weaken. August domestic sales declined, and the company is offering cash incentives through September 30, suggesting persistent competitive and demand pressure in the world’s largest EV market. Strong exports provide some offset but do not resolve the underlying weakness. Tesla Sales in China Continue Negative Streak
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory scrutiny remains a major risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is examining certification and technical data related to nearly 1,000 driverless Cybercabs, raising questions about Tesla’s ability to expand the service quickly and safely. Tesla’s Robotaxi Launch Wasn’t the Moment Investors Expected
• Negative Sentiment: Some investors remain bearish because Tesla’s valuation is demanding relative to its modest profitability and slowing core auto business. With a very high earnings multiple, the stock is particularly dependent on successful execution of FSD, robotaxis and other future businesses.

Insider Activity at Tesla

In other news, CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,606 shares of the company'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 sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 25,972 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,353,296.36. This represents a 9.12% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Company insiders own 19.90% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

TSLA has been the subject of several recent research reports. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Tesla in a research note on Monday, June 29th. They set a "neutral" rating for the company. William Blair reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of Tesla in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Truist Financial set a $370.00 price objective on shares of Tesla and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $500.00 price objective on shares of Tesla in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, DZ Bank upgraded Tesla from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating, eighteen have given a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $401.74.

Tesla Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ TSLA opened at $367.81 on Thursday. Tesla, Inc. has a 12-month low of $297.38 and a 12-month high of $498.83. The company has a market cap of $1.45 trillion, a PE ratio of 340.57, a P/E/G ratio of 18.59 and a beta of 1.84. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $354.87 and a 200-day simple moving average of $381.84. 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 - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.33 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.50 by ($0.17). The company had revenue of $28.24 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $26.42 billion. Tesla had a net margin of 3.67% and a return on equity of 3.82%. Tesla's revenue for the quarter was up 25.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.33 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Tesla, Inc. will post 0.88 EPS for the current year.

About Tesla

Tesla, Inc is an American technology and automotive company that designs, develops, manufactures and sells electric vehicles and related energy products. Its vehicle lineup has included the Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y and Cybertruck, along with commercial and specialty products such as the Tesla Semi.

The company also develops energy-generation and storage products, including solar panels, solar roofing systems and battery storage solutions for residential, commercial and utility customers.

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