Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Stock Price Down 2.7% After Analyst Downgrade

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s share price was down 2.7% during trading on Tuesday after BNP Paribas Exane lowered their price target on the stock from $313.00 to $280.00. BNP Paribas Exane currently has an underperform rating on the stock. Tesla traded as low as $385.39 and last traded at $392.43. Approximately 62,153,592 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 1% from the average daily volume of 61,358,059 shares. The stock had previously closed at $403.32.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the stock. New Street Research lifted their price target on shares of Tesla from $520.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $510.00 target price on shares of Tesla in a report on Thursday, January 29th. CICC Research boosted their price target on shares of Tesla from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Benchmark reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Tesla in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $500.00 price objective on shares of Tesla in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Eighteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and nine have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $407.15.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,637 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $443.93, for a total transaction of $1,170,643.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 13,757 shares in the company, valued at $6,107,145.01. This represents a 16.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson sold 25,731 shares of Tesla stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $415.56, for a total transaction of $10,692,774.36. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 19,669 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,173,649.64. This trade represents a 56.68% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 145,188 shares of company stock worth $64,193,919. 19.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Tesla News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Europe sales rebound — official data showed Tesla gained market share in France and Norway in February, signalling stabilization in key EV markets and supporting near‑term delivery outlooks. Tesla gains market in France, Norway in February
• Positive Sentiment: Robotics/AI optionality remains a structural upside — market coverage highlights Tesla as a leading consumer-facing robotics play (Optimus + FSD), which underpins much of the stock’s premium multiple if execution continues. This is a long‑horizon bullish argument for investors focused on upside beyond vehicle volumes. 5 Stocks Racing Ahead as AI Supercharges Robotics
• Neutral Sentiment: NHTSA/FSD deadline looming (March 9) — the company must deliver detailed FSD performance data to regulators; a clean submission could remove a major overhang, while any escalation would increase uncertainty around Tesla’s autonomy roadmap. (Outcome will likely drive short‑term volatility.)
• Neutral Sentiment: New battery data published — emerging details around battery life/replacement economics are getting attention; implications are mixed (product longevity is positive for owners but replacement cost concerns can weigh on demand perceptions). New Tesla Battery Data Emerges
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst downgrade — BNP Paribas Exane cut its price target to $280 and kept an underperform rating, increasing headline downside for a stock priced on AI/autonomy expectations and amplifying negative analyst sentiment. BNP Paribas adjusts price target on Tesla
• Negative Sentiment: Macro & geopolitical headwinds — rising yields and heightened Middle East tensions are pressuring growth/AI‑covered names broadly, and Tesla is being sold alongside other high‑beta tech stocks as investors de‑risk. Why Tesla Stock Is Crashing Over 4% On Tuesday
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and competition risks in robotics/FSD — recent coverage flags significant execution risk for Optimus/robotaxi ambitions; failures or slower-than‑expected rollout would pressure the multiple that’s anchored to those future businesses. Why Elon Musk’s Big Bet on Robotics Comes With Significant Risks

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Tesla

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Networth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Tesla during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Davidson Capital Management Inc. lifted its position in Tesla by 79.4% during the fourth quarter. Davidson Capital Management Inc. now owns 61 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 27 shares during the period. Turning Point Benefit Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Tesla during the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Tesla in the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Prism Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Tesla in the 4th quarter worth about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 66.20% of the company’s stock.

Tesla Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a current ratio of 2.16. The business’s 50-day moving average is $429.89 and its 200-day moving average is $422.47. The company has a market capitalization of $1.47 trillion, a PE ratio of 363.30, a PEG ratio of 14.36 and a beta of 1.89.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.05. Tesla had a net margin of 4.00% and a return on equity of 4.86%. The business had revenue of $24.90 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $24.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.73 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Tesla, Inc. will post 2.56 earnings per share for the current year.

Tesla Company Profile

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.