Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) shorts have lost $2 billion in June as stock continues rise
It is currently not a good time to be Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) short-seller. According to financial analytics firm S3 Partners, Tesla shorts have been hit by more than $2 billion in mark-to-market losses so far this June, as the electric car and energy company rides a wave of optimism in the weeks leading up to the end of Q2 2018.
Tesla stock has risen 20.5% so far in June, making the Elon Musk-led company on pace to hit its biggest monthly gain since August 2014. This sudden boost in the company’s stock has managed to hit short-sellers hard. After Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, shares rose 9.7%, and shorts lost $1.1 billion in a single day. Just this past Monday, shorts lost another $549 million in mark-to-market losses, and as of Tuesday afternoon, bears were down an additional $278 million.
According to S3 Partners head of research Ihor Dusaniwsky, the massive losses incurred by Tesla short-sellers so far this month has made the electric car and energy company the worst-performing stock for short-sellers this year. In a statement to Reuters, Dusaniwsky noted that the recent blows received by Tesla shorts are among the biggest losses he has seen to date.
“In all of 2017, they (short-sellers) were down $3.4 billion. To lose $2 billion in a month stands out as one of the biggest losses for a stock that I have seen,” the S3 Partners head of research said.
Tesla shorts could have lost far more, however. During Tuesday’s intraday, Tesla shares rose by as much as 6.9% to a 3-month high of $354.97, before settling down to a 3.21% gain at $342.77 per share amidst news of the company’s restructuring efforts that cost 9% of its employees. By Wednesday’s pre-market, however, Tesla shares appear to have recovered, rising 1.38% and trading at 347.50 per share.
Tesla remains as one of the most-shorted stocks in the market today, with short interest currently standing at $12.6 billion. That’s 37.9 million shares, or almost 30 percent of the share float sold short. Despite the recent losses incurred by Tesla short-sellers, however, Dusaniwsky noted that Tesla bulls’ anticipated “short squeeze” has not even started yet. A short squeeze happens when shares of heavily shorted companies such as Tesla rise as traders rush to buy stock to cover their short bets. This has not happened to date.
“With almost 80 million shares traded in June, this slight short covering did not move Tesla’s stock price. This is the biggest cry wolf on Wall Street – everyone says short squeeze, and it never is. They will be right one day, but not today,” Dusaniwsky said.
After Tesla’s successful 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, the Elon Musk-led company’s stock has seen a meteoric rise. Earlier this week, Berenberg raised its price target for Tesla to $500 per share, citing the company’s tech advantage and the Model 3’s positive gross margins. KeyBanc Capital Markets also sent out a note to clients on Monday, stating that Tesla could possibly deliver as many as 30,000 Model 3 for the second quarter.
As of writing, Tesla stock is trading up 1.38% at 347.50 per share on Wednesday’s pre-market.
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.
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
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Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
