Tesla Deliveries Drop Over 10% but Shares Hold $390 Support; Analysts Eye $550
Tesla deliveries fell over 10% month-on-month heading into Q1, yet shares held above $390 support as analysts reaffirm Buy with $550 targets. Retail investors poured $326 million from Feb 12–18 while UBS, Nomura and others cut up to 80%, highlighting a tug-of-war during Tesla’s pivot to Optimus robotics.
1. Delivery Trends and Stock Resilience
Tesla delivered over 10% fewer vehicles month-on-month heading into Q1, yet the stock has maintained its uptrend since last April and held the critical $390 support level through recent volatility.
2. Institutional Selling vs. Retail Buying
UBS, Nomura and Morgan Stanley cut Tesla positions by up to 80%, while retail investors injected $326 million into shares from Feb 12–18, reflecting conflicting views on near-term demand versus long-term vision.
3. Pivot to Robotics and Autonomy
Management confirmed plans to sunset Model S and X this year and redeploy production capacity to Optimus humanoid robots, signalling a strategic pivot toward autonomy and robotics in pursuit of a broader total addressable market.
4. Analyst Upgrades and Growth Outlook
Following the pivot, Tigress Financial upgraded Tesla to Buy with a $550 target, echoed by Benchmark and Deutsche Bank, as analysts forecast the robotics segment could drive future cash flows beyond the core EV business.