Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares are rising Wednesday ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report, which is scheduled for after the market closes.
- Tesla stock is building positive momentum. Why are TSLA shares climbing?
Tesla Faces Low Demand In California Ahead Of Earnings
Tesla faces a critical test with earnings due after the bell. Reuters reported this week that California New Car Dealers Association data showed that Tesla registrations in California dropped almost 25% in the first quarter.
Independent lab testing reportedly revealed toxic heavy metals in discharge from Tesla’s Texas lithium refinery, prompting a local drainage district to demand a cease-and-desist despite prior TCEQ approval.
Tesla investors are focused on whether Tesla can stabilize margins and demand after weak vehicle data, with automotive gross margin and pricing commentary likely to matter more than a simple earnings beat. At the same time, the stock will probably trade on forward-looking narrative — especially updates on AI, robotaxis, and the growing energy business — rather than the headline numbers alone.
Here’s a look at what analysts are expecting from Tesla on Wednesday:
EPS Estimate: $0.30 (Up from $0.27 YoY) – EPS growth signals modest improvement, with expectations that Tesla continues scaling profitability despite cost pressures.
Revenue Estimate: $22.17 billion (Up from $19.34 billion YoY) – Revenue growth reflects steady expansion, and meeting or exceeding this figure would extend Tesla's streak of outperforming expectations.
Performance Trend: 3 straight revenue beats (4 of last 10 quarters) – Tesla has shown a relatively consistent ability to surpass revenue estimates, which may shape investor expectations going into this release.
What Are Analysts Signaling?
On Wednesday morning, Cantor Fitzgerald’s Andres Sheppard maintained an Overweight rating on Tesla with a price target of $510. The stock carries a consensus Buy rating with an average price target of $421.99. Other notable recent moves include:
- GLJ Research: Sell (Target $24.86) (April 21)
- Wedbush: Outperform (Target $600.00) (April 21)
- TD Cowen: Buy (Lowered Target from $519.00 to $490.00) (April 15)
- UBS: Upgraded to Neutral (Target $352.00) (April 14)
- Canaccord Genuity: Buy (Target $420.00) (April 6)
- Baird: Outperform (Lowered Target from $548.00 to $538.00) (April 6)
Full analyst coverage indicates a wide divergence in price targets from 41 analysts, reflecting the market’s split view on Tesla’s valuation. Valuation Insight: *The high P/E ratio suggests that while some analysts remain bullish, others are cautious given the recent negative developments.*
TSLA Shares Rise Wednesday
TSLA Stock Price Activity: Tesla shares were up 1.15% at $390.82 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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