Tesla Stock Skyrockets Amid Musk's Trump Alliance, Faces Recall and Regulatory Hurdles
2min read As of last week, Tesla (TSLA) experienced a 3.07% gain, although over the past week it faced a slight drop of 0.16%. Year-to-date, Tesla's stock has surged by 29.07%, with its market capitalization reaching $1.02953 trillion. While the recent fluctuations might seem minor, they sit against a backdrop of significant market dynamics and investor sentiment.
Recently, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a recall notification on November 13, indicating Tesla's decision to recall 2,431 units of the Cybertruck to replace faulty drive inverters. Since its release, the Cybertruck has seen several recalls, some of which were addressed through over-the-air software updates. However, the latest recall involves the physical replacement of drive inverters, critical components for vehicular power.
"If the drive inverter fails to produce torque, drivers may lose propulsion power, increasing the risk of collision," Tesla stated in a release. The Cybertruck has already positioned itself as the third-highest-selling all-electric vehicle in the U.S. market, trailing behind Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3.
Tesla also grapples with four major safety investigations led by the NHTSA, focusing on possible safety defects within its vehicles. Concerns are particularly heightened over the performance of the company’s advanced driver-assistance feature, Full Self-Driving, under challenging visibility conditions like glaring sunlight or dense fog.
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk's interactions with NHTSA and other federal regulatory bodies have become increasingly fraught. This tension came into sharper focus following Donald Trump's election victory, which has seen Musk elected as a member of the newly formed "Office of Government Efficiency" in Trump's incoming administration.
Though the office is not yet officially established or funded, Musk intends to leverage his position to slash federal spending and regulations, which could potentially impact automotive safety standards enforced by the NHTSA.
Further developments showed that under Musk's full backing of Trump's candidacy, Tesla's stock skyrocketed by nearly 31% post-election, adding close to $250 billion in market value. This remarkable spike has evoked mixed reactions from Wall Street, prompting caution and varied interpretations regarding the future regulatory environment, which could be more accommodating.
Adam Sarhan, CEO and founder of 50Park Investments, remarked, "The market reaction post-Trump's win has been explosive for Tesla. While potential benefits could arise from Trump's governance, notably on regulatory matters, the swift stock surge seems overzealous in the short term, though Tesla's long-term prospects remain promising."
The sharp increase in Tesla’s stock surpassed many analysts’ target expectations, highlighting the challenges they face in evaluating specific policy impacts on Tesla under Trump’s potential administration. Some foresee a continuing bullish trajectory, bolstered by Musk’s influential role, yet tempered by Trump’s well-known skepticism towards electric vehicles (EVs).
Furthermore, Deutsche Bank's analyst Edison Yu suggested benefits for Tesla, such as federal regulation simplifications for autonomous vehicles and support for humanoid robots, enhancing Tesla's standing in the EV sector. Yet, Yu conceded the challenge in quantifying the exact advantages derived from Trump's policy changes, likening the process more to art than science.
Despite Tesla’s stock strong upward move, analysts remain vigilant about its long-term sustainability and the broader economic impacts, including possible inflationary pressures from Trump's proposed policies. Tesla's stock dynamics continue to invite diverse interpretations amid a rapidly evolving political and economic landscape.