On Monday, Truist Securities reaffirmed its Hold rating on Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) with a steady price target of $215.00. The firm's stance remains unchanged following Tesla's second-quarter earnings call, where the electric vehicle manufacturer's management echoed previous sentiments regarding their Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.
During Tesla's first-quarter earnings call earlier in the year, CEO Elon Musk emphasized the importance of the company's efforts to refine its autonomous driving technology. Truist Securities had previously described the FSD version 12 as impressively crafted but not yet practically applicable. In the latest earnings call, the company's management repeated their earlier statements, prompting Truist Securities to evaluate what is believed to be an updated FSD version, 12.3.6.
The updated software was again found to be exceptionally well-made but still falls short of achieving complete autonomy. Truist reported observing certain limitations within the new version that pose significant challenges to Tesla's autonomous driving goals. The firm expressed skepticism about the advancements Tesla might present at the upcoming RoboTaxi event scheduled for October.
Truist's analysis suggests that while Tesla's FSD technology shows remarkable development, it has not reached the level of autonomous driving. The analyst's comments reflect a cautious outlook on the immediate utility of Tesla's FSD software, despite acknowledging its impressive design.
In other recent news, Tesla continues to dominate the electric vehicle market despite recent challenges, according to Argus and Morgan Stanley. The firm's recent earnings report revealed a softer-than-expected second quarter, influenced by weaker deliveries and increased spending on research and development, however, analysts expect Tesla's position as the world's largest EV seller to persist.
The company's plans to produce a new, lower-cost EV model priced between $25,000 and $30,000 are seen as a positive move that could help maintain or even expand its market leadership. Tesla is also expected to benefit from tax credits for EV purchases introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Morgan Stanley maintained its Overweight rating on Tesla, noting the growth in the company's 'Services & Other' revenue and the significance of Tesla's AI infrastructure assets. However, the firm acknowledged that negative trends in the global EV market could impact Tesla's stock price in the near term.
Recent developments indicate a significant selloff in tech stocks, spurred by disappointing earnings reports from Tesla and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL). This has led to increased interest in mid- and small-cap sectors and safer assets. These events highlight the volatility in the tech sector and the potential for further instability. Despite this, some analysts maintain a positive long-term view of tech stocks, suggesting that the current correction is part of a normal market cycle.
InvestingPro Insights
As Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) continues to refine its Full Self-Driving software, investors and analysts are keenly observing the company's financial health and market performance. According to InvestingPro data, Tesla boasts a robust market capitalization of $702.18 billion, underscoring its significant presence in the automobile industry. Despite concerns over its autonomous driving capabilities, Tesla maintains a high P/E ratio of 61.8, reflecting investor confidence in its long-term growth potential. Furthermore, the company's revenue growth over the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 stands at 1.37%, indicating a steady increase in sales.
Among the InvestingPro Tips, two particularly stand out in the context of the article. Firstly, Tesla holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet, providing a solid financial foundation as it continues to invest in the development of its FSD technology. Secondly, despite the challenges faced in achieving full autonomy, Tesla remains a prominent player in the Automobiles industry, which could bode well for its future prospects, especially with the upcoming RoboTaxi event.
For readers interested in deeper analysis and additional insights, InvestingPro offers a range of tips that can further inform investment decisions. In fact, there are 19 additional InvestingPro Tips available for Tesla, which can be accessed at https://www.investing.com/pro/TSLA. To enhance your experience, use the coupon code PRONEWS24 to get up to 10% off a yearly Pro and a yearly or biyearly Pro+ subscription.
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