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

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)’s stock price fell 2.7% during mid-day 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. 62,153,592 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 1% from the average session volume of 61,358,059 shares. The stock had previously closed at $403.32.

Several other research analysts have also weighed in on TSLA. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $500.00 price target on shares of Tesla in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. CICC Research upped their price target on shares of Tesla from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Morgan Stanley set a $415.00 price target on Tesla and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Tesla from $307.00 to $352.00 and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Dbs Bank raised shares of Tesla to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 5th. Eighteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and nine have assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Tesla has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $407.15.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Tesla news, Director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson sold 25,731 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $415.56, for a total transaction of $10,692,774.36. Following the transaction, the director owned 19,669 shares in the company, valued at $8,173,649.64. This trade represents a 56.68% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director James R. Murdoch sold 60,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $445.40, for a total value of $26,724,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 577,031 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $257,009,607.40. This trade represents a 9.42% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 145,188 shares of company stock worth $64,193,919. 19.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Key Tesla News

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

• Positive Sentiment: European demand is showing signs of recovery — official data and reports say Tesla gained share in France and Norway in February, supporting the case that international sales can offset weakness elsewhere. Tesla gains market in France, Norway
• Positive Sentiment: AI + robotics remain a core long?term upside: coverage highlights Tesla’s Optimus/robotics and autonomy roadmap as a multi?year growth driver — a narrative that can re-rate the stock if execution or regulatory clarity improves. 5 Stocks Racing Ahead as AI Supercharges Robotics
• Neutral Sentiment: Tesla raised Cybertruck AWD pricing after an initial launch window — could lift ASPs if demand holds, but the price move also tests demand elasticity amid softer volumes. Elon Musk’s Tesla Hikes Cybertruck AWD Price
• Negative Sentiment: NHTSA/FSD regulatory risk is front?and?center: a March 9 deadline to submit full FSD data creates a binary outcome — a clean submission could calm the market, while any perceived deficiency would likely amplify selling. Tesla’s 2026 May Hinge on a March 9 Outcome
• Negative Sentiment: An analyst move amplified downside pressure: BNP Paribas Exane lowered its price target to $280 and maintained an underperform rating, signaling renewed sell?side skepticism about valuation and execution. BNP Paribas adjusts price target on Tesla
• Negative Sentiment: Macro/geo risks and rising rates/oil are hitting growth stocks: escalation in the Middle East and higher yields/oil are cited as drivers of Wednesday’s selloff in Tesla and other growth names. Why Tesla Stock Is Crashing Over 4% On Tuesday
• Negative Sentiment: New battery/replacement?cost data and ongoing autonomy/legal scrutiny keep focus on execution risks and ownership costs — issues that can weigh on consumer demand and margins if they gain traction. New Tesla Battery Data Emerges

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Tesla

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in TSLA. Networth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Tesla during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Chapman Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in Tesla in the second quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Davidson Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Tesla by 79.4% during the 4th quarter. Davidson Capital Management Inc. now owns 61 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the period. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Tesla in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, CoreFirst Bank & Trust bought a new stake in shares of Tesla in the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. 66.20% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Tesla Stock Performance

The company’s 50-day moving average price is $431.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $422.03. The company has a market capitalization of $1.47 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 363.30, a PEG ratio of 14.33 and a beta of 1.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 2.16 and a quick ratio of 1.77.

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