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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Stock Rating Upgraded by Zacks Research

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Key Points

  • Zacks Research upgraded Tesla from a "strong sell" to a "hold", and MarketBeat shows a consensus analyst rating of Hold with a $398.42 consensus price target.
  • Q1 results were mixed: EPS of $0.41 beat estimates by $0.02 while revenue of $22.39 billion missed forecasts, leaving thin margins (net margin 3.95%) despite 15.8% year‑over‑year revenue growth.
  • There was notable insider selling (53,804 shares worth about $20.9 million sold last quarter), even as large institutional investors like Vanguard and Norges Bank hold sizable positions and institutions own roughly 66.2% of the stock.
  • Interested in Tesla? Here are five stocks we like better.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on TSLA. President Capital lifted their price target on shares of Tesla from $424.00 to $428.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of Tesla from $420.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c-)" rating on shares of Tesla in a report on Friday, April 24th. DZ Bank raised shares of Tesla from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $385.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, April 24th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $508.00 price target on Tesla in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Nineteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seventeen have issued a Hold rating and five have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $398.42.

Read Our Latest Stock Report on TSLA

Tesla Stock Down 0.9%

Tesla stock opened at $372.80 on Tuesday. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $383.70 and its 200 day simple moving average is $419.55. Tesla has a fifty-two week low of $270.78 and a fifty-two week high of $498.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.40 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 342.02, a PEG ratio of 13.59 and a beta of 1.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 2.04 and a quick ratio of 1.62.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 22nd. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.39 by $0.02. Tesla had a net margin of 3.95% and a return on equity of 4.89%. The business had revenue of $22.39 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.27 EPS. Tesla's quarterly revenue was up 15.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Tesla will post 1.32 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,264 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $397.03, for a total transaction of $898,875.92. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 18,106 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,188,625.18. This trade represents a 11.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson sold 25,809 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $359.33, for a total value of $9,273,947.97. Following the sale, the director owned 33,860 shares of the company's stock, valued at $12,166,913.80. This represents a 43.25% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 53,804 shares of company stock valued at $20,865,598 in the last quarter. 19.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Tesla

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TSLA. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Tesla during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $17,128,100,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC grew its holdings in Tesla by 3,205.5% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 21,459,599 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock valued at $9,650,811,000 after buying an additional 20,810,386 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in Tesla by 56.0% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 20,755,605 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock valued at $9,334,211,000 after buying an additional 7,450,766 shares in the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. grew its holdings in Tesla by 882.8% during the 4th quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. now owns 8,202,060 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock valued at $3,688,630,000 after buying an additional 7,367,507 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Tesla by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 258,925,024 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock worth $116,443,762,000 after purchasing an additional 6,538,720 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.20% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Tesla

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: First Tesla Semi rolling off a high‑volume production line — execution proof that Tesla can scale new product lines (supports long‑term revenue diversification). First Tesla Semi rolls off high-volume production line
  • Positive Sentiment: Sell‑side support remains in places — Deutsche Bank reaffirmed a "buy" rating, providing some analyst backing amid the pullback. Deutsche Bank gives a buy rating
  • Neutral Sentiment: Q1 was mixed: EPS beat but revenue missed and investors remain focused on margins, capex and the timeline for autonomy/robotics to contribute meaningfully to profits. That keeps the stock rangebound until clearer revenue/cash‑flow signals arrive. Great News for Tesla Stock Investors
  • Neutral Sentiment: Progress on robotaxi/Cybercab and Optimus (humanoid robot) was confirmed — important long‑term optionality but timelines remain uncertain, so market reaction is tempered. Tesla’s Cybercab Is Finally Real—But Is It Enough? Tesla Stock Rises. Elon Musk Talks Up 'Special' Optimus 3 Robot.
  • Negative Sentiment: Erste Group cut FY2026 and FY2027 EPS estimates materially (FY2026 to $1.18, FY2027 to $1.65), signaling lower near‑term earnings expectations and adding selling pressure. Erste Group cuts TSLA estimates
  • Negative Sentiment: Rising competition in China: NIO unveiled a lower‑priced Onvo L80 SUV targeting the Model Y, which can pressure Tesla’s China volumes and margins if competitors keep undercutting price points. NIO stock soars after Onvo L80 reveal
  • Negative Sentiment: Analyst/market skepticism around the timing of big bets (robotaxi, Optimus) plus a large planned capex runway keeps valuation under pressure despite product progress — which helps explain the pullback in the share price. Tesla stock down amid robotaxi setbacks

About Tesla

(Get Free Report)

Tesla, Inc NASDAQ: TSLA is an American company that designs, manufactures and sells electric vehicles, energy generation and energy storage products. Founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, Tesla grew into a vertically integrated mobility and clean‑energy company with Elon Musk serving as its chief executive officer. The company's stated mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy, reflected in its combined focus on electric drivetrains, battery technology, renewable energy products and software.

Tesla's automotive business includes a lineup of battery‑electric vehicles and related services.

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Analyst Recommendations for Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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