Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Downgraded to Strong Sell Rating by Zacks Research

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) was downgraded by investment analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report released on Monday,Zacks.com reports. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Tesla’s Q2 2026 earnings at $0.27 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $0.52 EPS.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on TSLA. Bank of America began coverage on shares of Tesla in a research note on Wednesday, March 4th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $460.00 price target for the company. DZ Bank reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Tesla in a report on Thursday, January 29th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Tesla from $509.00 to $519.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $405.00 target price on shares of Tesla in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating on shares of Tesla in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Nineteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and ten have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $403.98.

Tesla Stock Up 4.6%

NASDAQ TSLA opened at $371.75 on Monday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $405.61 and its 200-day simple moving average is $428.65. The company has a quick ratio of 1.77, a current ratio of 2.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. The firm has a market cap of $1.39 trillion, a PE ratio of 344.21, a P/E/G ratio of 10.52 and a beta of 1.89. Tesla has a 52 week low of $214.25 and a 52 week high of $498.83.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.05. Tesla had a net margin of 4.00% and a return on equity of 4.86%. The firm had revenue of $24.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.75 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.73 earnings per share. Tesla’s quarterly revenue was down 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Tesla will post 2.56 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Tesla

In related news, CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,264 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $397.03, for a total transaction of $898,875.92. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 18,106 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,188,625.18. This represents a 11.11% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director James R. Murdoch sold 60,000 shares of the firm’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 transaction, the director owned 577,031 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $257,009,607.40. This trade represents a 9.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 87,995 shares of company stock worth $38,315,650 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 19.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Tesla

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Narwhal Capital Management grew its stake in Tesla by 32.8% in the 3rd quarter. Narwhal Capital Management now owns 9,516 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $4,232,000 after acquiring an additional 2,350 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL raised its position in Tesla by 29.6% during the third quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 32,576 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock worth $14,487,000 after acquiring an additional 7,446 shares during the last quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in shares of Tesla by 8.8% in the third quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 48,504 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $21,571,000 after purchasing an additional 3,935 shares in the last quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Tesla by 26.0% in the third quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 18,032 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $8,019,000 after purchasing an additional 3,724 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV grew its position in shares of Tesla by 20.0% in the third quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 16,565 shares of the electric vehicle producer’s stock valued at $7,367,000 after purchasing an additional 2,765 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.20% of the company’s stock.

Key Tesla News

Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Market rally driven by three converging catalysts — delivery optimism, Terafab/chip-factory talk and SpaceX merger/buzz — that traders say gives the move legs. This is cited as the main reason TSLA popped intraday. Tesla Surges 5%: Delivery Hopes, Terafab, and SpaceX Buzz Are All Converging at Once
• Positive Sentiment: Reports of a deeper Tesla–SpaceX chip/semiconductor partnership (new fab plans in Texas and talk of coordinated chip strategy) are being read as a strategic lever for Tesla’s AI/robotics roadmap and supply security. Tesla Appears to Have a New Master Plan… and SpaceX Is a Huge Part of It
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts (Canaccord) nudged up Q1 deliveries estimates and a positive research note earlier in the day helped sentiment despite mixed modeling — supporting near‑term optimism ahead of the delivery print. Canaccord Lifts Q1 Deliveries Estimate, But Cuts Tesla Stock (TSLA) Price Target, Here’s Why
• Positive Sentiment: Renewed optimism on Tesla’s AI/robotics (Optimus) and product updates lifted risk‑on positioning among growth investors. Tesla jumps 4% on Optimus buzz and market rebound momentum
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 delivery results (due Thursday) are the immediate catalyst — expectations are ~365k units. That print can swing the stock materially both ways. Tesla (TSLA) Stock: Analysts Brace for Q1 2026 Delivery Numbers This Thursday
• Neutral Sentiment: Euro NCAP and other safety/oversight headlines continue to stir debate around Full Self‑Driving credibility — newsflow here creates volatility but is ambiguous in directional impact. Euro NCAP: Full Self-Driving “Irresponsible,” Tesla Stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) Surges
• Negative Sentiment: Several analysts have cut price targets and some firms reiterated “sell” or trimmed exposure (GLJ, Canaccord cut PT from $520 to $420) — a reminder Wall Street is increasingly skeptical on margins and valuation. Canaccord price target cut coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory and operational risks persist: NHTSA scrutiny of autonomy, talent departures (head of customer experience to Coinbase), and ongoing concerns about automotive margins and pricing pressure. These are downside risks if deliveries or margins disappoint. Will NHTSA Investigation Derail Tesla’s Physical AI Dreams?

About Tesla

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.