

Investor's Corner
Tesla still ‘miles ahead of competition’ despite 24% registration drop in China, says analyst
Tesla stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) is on a tear on Monday, and part of it appears to be due to momentum from Wedbush’s optimistic note on the company. In his note, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives highlighted the importance of Gigafactory Shanghai and battery tech to Tesla’s numbers. And in a recent interview with Yahoo Finance, the analyst explained why he has turned bullish on the electric car maker despite possible headwinds to the company.
Tesla China’s vehicle sales in July actually fell 24%, which was considered as a bearish sign by critics. However, Ives noted that these drops could very well be balanced out by strong numbers in August and the following months. This is a notable observation from the analyst, especially since Tesla tends to push its vehicle delivery ramps at the tail end of its quarters. Despite July’s numbers, the Wedbush analyst notes that he expects Tesla to sell about 150,000 units from China this year.
Ives also explained to the Yahoo Finance hosts that Tesla’s headwinds in the US due to the pandemic would likely be balanced out by strength in other regions such as Europe and China. This reflects his stance on Giga Shanghai and its ramping operations. “I think right now, in the EV market, it continues to be Tesla’s world and everyone else is paying rent, especially in those core markets,” Ives said.
When asked if he was worried about the coming competition, the Wedbush analyst noted that Tesla’s lead is simply too much, at least for the near future. There are current and upcoming competing vehicles from rival automakers, and they will likely narrow the gap eventually, but for now, Tesla is pretty much like a freight train that is incredibly difficult to stop.
“Competition’s definitely going to be out there. We’re seeing Rivian, obviously, everything that GM’s done, you see competition across Europe as well as in China. But at least right now, they (Tesla) are miles ahead of the competition. You see that in terms of the overall demand numbers, as well as the profitability. I think obviously, they will narrow the gap at one point. But at least right now, which is why we’re bull case $2,500, I don’t see anything stopping the freight train at least in the next few quarters,” Ives said.
Explaining further, the Wedbush analyst stated that part of Tesla’s edge is its brand and identity itself. Everything, from its CEO to the Apple-esque ownership ecosystem offered by its vehicles, are things that are likely key differentiators for consumers.
“It’s the brand. Remember, for a company that doesn’t market, it’s the Musk DNA, it’s the Tesla brand in EV, which has established itself in many ways similar to Apple and the iconic Apple brand. And it’s something where the quality is what consumers are looking for. And it all comes down to what’s under that hood in terms of the battery technology. That’s the differentiator,” he said.
As of writing, TSLA stock is trading 7.08% at $1,768.28 per share.
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.
Investor's Corner
Tesla “best positioned” for Trump tariffs among automakers: analyst
Ives has a price target of $315 per share for the electric vehicle maker.

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives recently shared his thoughts about Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) amidst the Trump administration’s tariffs. As per Ives, Tesla is best-positioned relative to its rivals when it comes to the ongoing tariff issue.
Ives has a price target of $315 per share for the electric vehicle maker.
Best Positioned
During an interview with Yahoo Finance, the segment’s hosts asked about his thoughts on Tesla, especially considering Musk’s work with the Trump administration. Musk has previously stated that the effects of tariffs on Tesla are significant due to parts that are imported from abroad.
“When it comes to the tariff issue, they are actually best positioned relative to the Detroit Big Three and others and obviously foreign automakers. Still impacted, Musk has talked about that, in terms of just auto parts,” Ives stated.
China and Musk
Ives also stated that ultimately, a big factor for Tesla in the coming months may be the Chinese market’s reactions to its tariff war. He also noted that the next few quarters will be pivotal for Tesla considering the brand damage that Elon Musk has incited due to his politics and work with the Trump administration.
“When it comes to Tesla, I think the worry is where does retaliatory look like in China, in terms of buying domestic. I think that’s something that’s a play. And they have a pivotal six months head, in terms of what everything we see in Austin, autonomous, and the buildout.
“But the brand issues that Musk self-inflicted is dealing with in terms of demand destruction in Europe and the US. And that’s why this is a key few quarters ahead for Tesla and also for Musk to make, in my opinion, the right decision to take a step back from the administration,” Ives noted.
Investor's Corner
Tesla negativity “priced into the stock at its current levels:” CFRA analyst
The CFRA analyst has given Tesla a price target of $360 per share.

In recent comments to the Schwab Network, CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson stated that a lot of the “negative sentiment towards Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is priced into the stock at its current levels.”
The CFRA analyst has given Tesla a price target of $360 per share.
Q1 A Low Point in Sales
The CFRA analyst stated that Tesla’s auto sales likely bottomed last quarter, as noted in an Insider Monkey report. This was, Nelson noted, due to Q1 typically being the “weakest quarter for automakers.” He also highlighted that all four of Tesla’s vehicle factories across the globe were idled in the first quarter.
While Nelson highlighted the company’s changeover to the new Model Y as a factor in Q1, he also acknowledged the effects of CEO Elon Musk’s politics. The analyst noted that while Tesla lost customers due to Musk’s political opinions, the electric vehicle maker has also gained some new customers in the process.
CFRA’s Optimistic Stance
Nelson also highlighted that Tesla’s battery storage business has been growing steadily over the years, ending its second-best quarter in Q1 2025. The analyst noted that Tesla Energy has higher margins than the company’s electric vehicle business, and Tesla itself has a very strong balance sheet.
The CFRA analyst also predicted that Tesla could gain market share in the United States because it has less exposure to the Trump administration’s tariffs. Teslas are the most American-made vehicles in the country, so the Trump tariffs’ effects on the company will likely be less notable compared to other automakers that produce their cars abroad.
Investor's Corner
Tesla average transaction prices (ATP) rise in March 2025: Cox Automotive
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 saw an increase in their average transaction price (ATP) in March 2025.

Data recently released from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book has revealed that electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 saw an increase in their average transaction price (ATP) in March 2025.
Cox Automotive’s findings were shared in a press release.
March 2025 EV ATPs
As noted by Cox, new electric vehicle prices in March were estimated to be $59,205, a 7% increase year-over-year. In February, new EV prices had an ATP of $57,015. The average transaction price for electric vehicles was 24.7% higher than the overall auto industry ATP of $47,462.
As per Cox, “Compared to the overall industry ATP ($47,462), EV ATPs in March were higher by nearly 25% as the gap between new ICE and new EV grows wider. EV incentives continued to range far above the industry average. In March, the average incentive package for an EV was 13.3% of ATP, down from the revised 14.3% in February.”
Tesla ATPs in Focus
While Tesla saw challenges in the first quarter due to its factories’ changeover to the new Model Y, the company’s ATPs last month were estimated at $54,582, a year-over-year increase of 3.5% and a month-over-month increase of 4.5%. A potential factor in this could be the rollout of the Tesla Model Y Launch Series, a fully loaded, limited-edition variant of the revamped all-electric crossover that costs just under $60,000.
This increase, Cox noted, was evident in Tesla’s two best-selling vehicles, the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y crossover, the best-selling car globally in 2023 and 2024. “ATPs for Tesla’s two core models – Model 3 and Model Y – were higher month over month and year over year in March,” Cox wrote.
Cox’s Other Findings
Beyond electric vehicles, Cox also estimated that new vehicle ATPs held steady month-over-month and year-over-year in March at $47,462, down slightly from the revised-lower ATP of $47,577 in February. Sales incentives in March were flat compared to February at 7% of ATP, though they are 5% higher than 2024, when incentives were equal to 6.7% of ATP.
Estimates also suggest that new vehicle sales in March topped 1.59 million units, the best volume month in almost four years. This was likely due to consumers purchasing cars before the Trump administration’s tariffs took effect. As per Erin Keating, an executive analyst at Cox, all things are pointing to higher vehicle prices this summer.
“All signs point to higher prices this summer, as existing ‘pre-tariff’ inventory is sold down to be eventually replaced with ‘tariffed’ inventory. How high prices rise for consumers is still very much to be determined, as each automaker will handle the price puzzle differently. Should the White House posture hold, our team is expecting new vehicles directly impacted by the 25% tariff to see price increases in the range of 10-15%,” Keating stated.
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