Investor's Corner
Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) potential recognized by RBC Capital analyst
It appears that some analysts are starting to recognize the significance of Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Full Self Driving (FSD) efforts to the company’s future. This was hinted at in comments from RBC Capital analyst Tom Narayan, who noted that FSD in China would be “significant.”
The RBC analyst also reiterated an “Outperform” rating for TSLA stock, as well as a price target of $293 per share. As noted in an Insider report, Narayan covers the Consumer Cyclical sector, and he focuses on stocks like Tesla, Ferrari, and the Mercedes-Benz Group. He also has a 54.50% success rate on his recommended stocks.
Narayan echoed some of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s longtime points about FSD in his report, noting that such systems could eventually become mandated by regulators as a life-saving tool. The analysts noted that as systems like FSD are recognized for their benefit to consumers, Tesla could see some potential as a provider of the system.
RBC Capital Out Positive on Tesla Endorsement Re: FSD in China!
☞ Reiterated an Outperform rating and $293 PT on $TSLA!https://t.co/JurO3x2sRl #Tesla #FSD #AI pic.twitter.com/uFf4x7VUih— Tesla New York (@TeslaNY) April 29, 2024
Following is the RBC analyst’s comments on Tesla FSD:
“What do we think? Winning FSD in China would be significant. It would unlock a significant fleet of Tesla vehicles able to charge subscription fees. This is central to our investment thesis on the stock and we do include some Tesla FSD capture in China. Importantly, while initially we envision several Level 2+ players, it pushes Tesla further to be an industry standard for software.
-->“We also envision a scenario where regulators mandate Level 2+ as a life-saving tool. Tesla FSD is 5x safer than the US fleet according to US accident data provided by the company. In the same way seat belts and airbags were mandated on vehicles we could see Level 2+ offerings. Another benefit could be increasing the chance for Tesla to license software to other OEMs. This is a small part of our thesis however as remains a call option.
“One concern we have heard voiced from investors’ concerns whether Chinese companies could pirate the software but FSD is more than software. It includes millions of hours of driving data from autopilot interactions and algorithm training which happens in the US. This could happen quicker than the FSD Licensing. FSD is 20% of our valuation and we have assumed only 8% market share.”
Tesla noted in its Q1 2024 Update Letter that FSD users have passed 1.3 billion cumulative miles. Interestingly enough, Musk noted in Master Plan Part Deux, which he wrote lack back in July 2016, that he believes worldwide regulatory approval for autonomous vehicles would require something on the other of 6 billion cumulative miles (10 billion kilometers). If Tesla successfully rolls out FSD in China, and if more customers opt in for the service, the idea of hitting 6 billion cumulative miles would be more than feasible.
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Investor's Corner
Mizuho keeps Tesla (TSLA) “Outperform” rating but lowers price target
As per the Mizuho analyst, upcoming changes to EV incentives in the U.S. and China could affect Tesla’s unit growth more than previously expected.
Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh lowered Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) price target to $475 from $485, citing potential 2026 EV subsidy cuts in the U.S. and China that could pressure deliveries. The firm maintained its Outperform rating for the electric vehicle maker, however.
As per the Mizuho analyst, upcoming changes to EV incentives in the U.S. and China could affect Tesla’s unit growth more than previously expected. The U.S. accounted for roughly 37% of Tesla’s third-quarter 2025 sales, while China represented about 34%, making both markets highly sensitive to policy shifts. Potential 50% cuts to Chinese subsidies and reduced U.S. incentives affected the firm’s outlook.
With those pressures factored in, the firm now expects Tesla to deliver 1.75 million vehicles in 2026 and 2 million in 2027, slightly below consensus estimates of 1.82 million and 2.15 million, respectively. The analyst was cautiously optimistic, as near-term pressure from subsidies is there, but the company’s long-term tech roadmap remains very compelling.
Despite the revised target, Mizuho remained optimistic on Tesla’s long-term technology roadmap. The firm highlighted three major growth drivers into 2027: the broader adoption of Full Self-Driving V14, the expansion of Tesla’s Robotaxi service, and the commercialization of Optimus, the company’s humanoid robot.
“We are lowering TSLA Ests/PT to $475 with Potential BEV headwinds in 2026E. We believe into 2026E, US (~37% of TSLA 3Q25 sales) EV subsidy cuts and China (34% of TSLA 3Q25 sales) potential 50% EV subsidy cuts could be a headwind to EV deliveries.
-->“We are now estimating TSLA deliveries for 2026/27E at 1.75M/2.00M (slightly below cons. 1.82M/2.15M). We see some LT drivers with FSD v14 adoption for autonomous, robotaxi launches, and humanoid robots into 2027 driving strength,” the analyst noted.
Tesla stock (NASDAQ: TSLA) has landed an elusive “must own” status from Wall Street firm Melius, according to a new note released early this week.
Analyst Rob Wertheimer said Tesla will lead the charge in world-changing tech, given the company’s focus on self-driving, autonomy, and Robotaxi. In a note to investors, Wertheimer said “the world is about to change, dramatically,” because of the advent of self-driving cars.
He looks at the industry and sees many potential players, but the firm says there will only be one true winner:
“Our point is not that Tesla is at risk, it’s that everybody else is.”
The major argument is that autonomy is nearing a tipping point where years of chipping away at the software and data needed to develop a sound, safe, and effective form of autonomous driving technology turn into an avalanche of progress.
Wertheimer believes autonomy is a $7 trillion sector,” and in the coming years, investors will see “hundreds of billions in value shift to Tesla.”
A lot of the major growth has to do with the all-too-common “butts in seats” strategy, as Wertheimer believes that only a fraction of people in the United States have ridden in a self-driving car. In Tesla’s regard, only “tens of thousands” have tried Tesla’s latest Full Self-Driving (Supervised) version, which is v14.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.2 – Full Review, the Good and the Bad
When it reaches a widespread rollout and more people are able to experience Tesla Full Self-Driving v14, he believes “it will shock most people.”
Citing things like Tesla’s massive data pool from its vehicles, as well as its shift to end-to-end neural nets in 2021 and 2022, as well as the upcoming AI5 chip, which will be put into a handful of vehicles next year, but will reach a wider rollout in 2027, Melius believes many investors are not aware of the pace of advancement in self-driving.
Tesla’s lead in its self-driving efforts is expanding, Wertheimer says. The company is making strategic choices on everything from hardware to software, manufacturing, and overall vehicle design. He says Tesla has left legacy automakers struggling to keep pace as they still rely on outdated architectures and fragmented supplier systems.
Tesla shares are up over 6 percent at 10:40 a.m. on the East Coast, trading at around $416.
Investor's Corner
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) received fresh support from Piper Sandler this week after analysts toured the Fremont Factory and tested the company’s latest Full Self-Driving software. The firm reaffirmed its $500 price target, stating that FSD V14 delivered a notably smooth robotaxi demonstration and may already perform at levels comparable to, if not better than, average human drivers.
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Analysts highlight autonomy progress
During more than 75 minutes of focused discussions, analysts reportedly focused on FSD v14’s updates. Piper Sandler’s team pointed to meaningful strides in perception, object handling, and overall ride smoothness during the robotaxi demo.
The visit also included discussions on updates to Tesla’s in-house chip initiatives, its Optimus program, and the growth of the company’s battery storage business. Analysts noted that Tesla continues refining cost structures and capital expenditure expectations, which are key elements in future margin recovery, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.
Analyst Alexander Potter noted that “we think FSD is a truly impressive product that is (probably) already better at driving than the average American.” This conclusion was strengthened by what he described as a “flawless robotaxi ride to the hotel.”
-->Street targets diverge on TSLA
While Piper Sandler stands by its $500 target, it is not the highest estimate on the Street. Wedbush, for one, has a $600 per share price target for TSLA stock.
Other institutions have also weighed in on TSLA stock as of late. HSBC reiterated a Reduce rating with a $131 target, citing a gap between earnings fundamentals and the company’s market value. By contrast, TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and a $509 target, pointing to strong autonomous driving demonstrations in Austin and the pace of software-driven improvements.
Stifel analysts also lifted their price target for Tesla to $508 per share over the company’s ongoing robotaxi and FSD programs.
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