Investor's Corner
Tesla set for ‘massive trajectory’ for Q3 deliveries fueled by September demand
-
- Wedbush analyst Dan Ives says September Tesla deliveries are on pace for “massive trajectory”
- Ives reiterates “Outperform” rating; holds $1,000 price target
- Tesla on pace for 230,000 deliveries, Ives predicts
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is set for its biggest quarter in company history, according to Wedbush analyst and $TSLA bull Daniel Ives. Ives, who has periodically put his two cents regarding Tesla stock for several years, has spoken highly of the electric automaker, giving the company credit for being the leading force in the up-and-coming “green tidal wave” that will overtake the automotive sector as a whole. Tesla’s Q3 2021 is likely to be fed in part by September demand, which Ives believes is trending toward historic levels thanks to the automaker’s ability to avoid the long and drawn-out shortage of semiconductor chips.
Ives, who currently maintains an “Outperform” rating on $TSLA stock with a price target of $1,000, said that he is confident Tesla would exceed consensus expectations, which have Q3 deliveries set at 123,000 vehicles. Ives is more convinced of Tesla hitting 230,000 deliveries in Q3, mainly fueled by a “massive trajectory” of between 145,000 to 150,000 deliveries in September alone.
“The pace of EV deliveries in the US and China have been robust the last 4-6 weeks with an eye-popping growth trajectory heading into 4Q and 2022 for Musk & Co.,” Ives wrote in a note to investors.
September may be the saving grace for Tesla in Q3, especially as Elon Musk wrote in a leaked email to Tesla employees earlier this month that Q3 has the potential to be the company’s most remarkable. The CEO told workers that this week has the potential to be the “most intense delivery week ever,” as Tesla continues to trend toward record numbers once again. Tesla has not seen a decline in sales or deliveries of its vehicles Quarter-over-Quarter since Q1 2019.
The only reason Ives believes Tesla won’t have an even bigger quarter than he expects is due to the semiconductor chip shortage. While Tesla was able to avert most of the production delays and manufacturing stoppages with the creation of its own in-house microcontrollers, there was still a negative effect on the company’s production and delivery rate in July and August, he said in the note. Ives believes Tesla would have delivered around 80,000 to 90,000 vehicles for the first two months of the quarter. Overall, Ives said that the chip shortage may have decreased the overall production and delivery number by around 40,000 units.
RELATED:
Tesla (TSLA) gets upbeat estimates from Wall St amid “strongest ever” quarter
Tesla’s decision to export vehicles from Shanghai to Europe earlier this month to begin sales of the Model Y crossover on the continent could have also affected the automaker’s overall outlook for Q3. Ives believes the intense and complicated logistical process may have thrown a few wrenches into Tesla’s overall growth.
Even still, as Tesla navigated through the chip shortage and handled a new logistical process with relative ease, Ives is convinced that Tesla will still report its biggest quarter when Q3 wraps up tomorrow.
Analysts at other financial firms have already listed their estimates for Tesla’s third quarter. Many analysts have expectations for around 230,000 vehicles, including Alex Potter of Piper Sandler and Credit Suisse analyst Dan Levy. The analysts estimated 233,000 and between 225,000-230,000 deliveries for Q3, respectively.
Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA Shareholder.
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.
Investor's Corner
Tesla wins $508 price target from Stifel as Robotaxi rollout gains speed
The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives.
Tesla received another round of bullish analyst updates this week, led by Stifel, raising its price target to $508 from $483 while reaffirming a “Buy” rating. The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives.
Robotaxi rollout, FSD updates, and new affordable cars
Stifel expects Tesla’s robotaxi fleet to expand into 8–10 major metropolitan areas by the end of 2025, including Austin, where early deployments without safety drivers are targeted before year-end. Additional markets under evaluation include Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, as noted in an Investing.com report. The firm also highlighted strong early performance for FSD Version 14, with upcoming releases adding new “reasoning capabilities” designed to improve complex decision-making using full 360-degree vision.
Tesla has also taken steps to offset the loss of U.S. EV tax credits by launching the Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard at $39,990 and $36,990, Stifel noted. Both vehicles deliver more than 300 miles of range and are positioned to sustain demand despite shifting incentives. Stifel raised its EBITDA forecasts to $14.9 billion for 2025 and $19.5 billion for 2026, assigning partial valuation weightings to Tesla’s FSD, robotaxi, and Optimus initiatives.
TD Cowen also places an optimistic price target
TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating with a $509 price target after a research tour of Giga Texas, citing production scale and operational execution as key strengths. The firm posted its optimistic price target following a recent Mobility Bus tour in Austin. The tour included a visit to Giga Texas, which offered fresh insights into the company’s operations and prospects.
Additional analyst movements include Truist Securities maintaining its Hold rating following shareholder approval of Elon Musk’s compensation plan, viewing the vote as reducing leadership uncertainty.
@teslarati Tesla Full Self-Driving yields for pedestrians while human drivers do not…the future is here! #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ 2 Little 2 Late – Levi & Mario
Investor's Corner
Tesla receives major institutional boost with Nomura’s rising stake
The move makes Tesla Nomura’s 10th-largest holding at about 1% of its entire portfolio.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has gained fresh institutional support, with Nomura Asset Management expanding its position in the automaker.
Nomura boosted its Tesla holdings by 4.2%, adding 47,674 shares and bringing its total position to more than 1.17 million shares valued at roughly $373.6 million. The move makes Tesla Nomura’s 10th-largest holding at about 1% of its entire portfolio.
Institutional investors and TSLA
Nomura’s filing was released alongside several other fund updates. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its holdings by 11.8%, as noted in a MarketBeat report, and Revolve Wealth Partners lifted its TSLA position by 21.2%. Bison Wealth increased its Tesla stake by 52.2%, AMG National Trust Bank increased its position in shares of Tesla by 11.8%, and FAS Wealth Partners increased its TSLA holdings by 22.1%. About 66% of all outstanding Tesla shares are now owned by institutional investors.
The buying comes shortly after Tesla reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, posting $0.50 per share compared with the $0.48 consensus. Revenue reached $28.10 billion, topping Wall Street’s $24.98 billion estimate. Despite the earnings beat, Tesla continues to trade at a steep premium relative to peers, with a market cap hovering around $1.34 trillion and a price-to-earnings ratio near 270.
Recent insider sales
Some Tesla insiders have sold stock as of late. CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,606 shares in early September for just over $918,000, reducing his personal stake by about 21%. Director James R. Murdoch executed a far larger sale, offloading 120,000 shares for roughly $42 million and trimming his holdings by nearly 15%. Over the past three months, Tesla insiders have collectively sold 202,606 shares valued at approximately $75.6 million, as per SEC disclosures.
Tesla is currently entering its next phase of growth, and if it is successful, it could very well become the world’s most valuable company as a result. The company has several high-profile projects expected to be rolled out in the coming years, including Optimus, the humanoid robot, and the Cybercab, an autonomous two-seater with the potential to change the face of roads across the globe.
@teslarati Tesla Full Self-Driving yields for pedestrians while human drivers do not…the future is here! #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ 2 Little 2 Late – Levi & Mario
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
