Tesla Stock Daily Drive

July 18, 2025 • Finance

Hosted by Dusty

About This Episode

Generated finance podcast with host Dusty based on prompt: Daily stock movements for Tesla. Focus on the stock, but provide any important background information that is necessary.

Transcript

Welcome to "Tesla Stock Daily Drive," where we cruise through the latest in Tesla news and market insights. I'm Dusty, your host, here to guide you through today’s intriguing market movements.

Today, we're zooming in on Thursday, July 17, 2025, a day when Tesla hit a bit of a bump in the road. Tesla shares dipped 0.7%, closing at $319.41, while the broader market celebrated gains. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.7%, both reaching record highs. So, why did Tesla fall behind?

Driving the market were strong macroeconomic signals. We saw a nice surprise with retail sales up and unemployment claims down, hinting at a robust consumer and labor market. Tech stocks rode this wave, yet Tesla bucked the trend due to company-specific challenges.

Investors are looking ahead to Tesla’s upcoming Q2 earnings report slated for July 23. Analysts expect earnings per share to drop from $0.52 to $0.39 year-over-year, with revenue dipping around 11% to $22.5 billion. The anticipation has rocked trading patterns, with the stock fluctuating daily since the June debut of Tesla's Robotaxi service.

Ah, the Robotaxi rollout in Austin—a thrilling milestone but not without its bumps. Early tech hiccups have drawn regulatory eyes, creating some investor jitters. Plus, Elon Musk’s political ventures and ongoing U.S.–China trade debates are clouding the picture, as Tesla grapples with a 13% drop in vehicle sales for the first half of 2025.

Now, let's look at a bit of rivalry. While Tesla stumbled, Lucid Group shone with a 35% surge after snagging a $300 million investment from Uber and Nuro for a massive robotaxi fleet project. This shows how strategic partnerships can send stocks soaring, highlighting Tesla's current complexities.

Keeping with investments, Cathie Wood of Ark Invest recently doubled her Tesla holdings, snagging 115,380 shares, anticipating positive news ahead. Meanwhile, Bank of America ups Tesla’s price target citing opportunities in self-driving tech, though Goldman Sachs expresses caution.

Year-to-date, Tesla’s down about 18%, well off its high of $356.26 in June. The market cap is holding around $1.04 trillion, yet trading 35% below all-time highs. Investors are watching closely as Tesla transitions from a growth marvel to a more mature tech titan.

Looking forward, Tesla’s upcoming earnings call will be crucial. Investors will want clarity on delivery rates, profit margins, and the Robotaxi's rollout. Updates on a possible more affordable model and supply-chain management will also be in focus. Tesla's challenge will be to present an actionable roadmap amidst a landscape of positive economic data.

That wraps up today's ride through Tesla’s landscape. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies. Until next time, remember: when the dust settles, only the truth remains.

## Tesla Stock Movement on July 17, 2025

On Thursday, July 17, 2025, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) shares dipped 0.7%, closing at $319.41. This underperformance contrasted with broader market gains, as the S&P 500 rose 0.5% to 6,297.36 and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.7% to 20,884.27, both hitting all-time highs ([barrons.com](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tesla-stock-price-musk-7d52c1a1?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/1ef74b7c08099c13c9a3d68988336ccc?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Despite strong economic data—particularly better-than-expected retail sales and lower unemployment claims—that buoyed the overall market, Tesla’s stock lagged, reflecting company‐specific headwinds.

## Market Context

The July 17 rally in major U.S. stock indices was driven by encouraging macroeconomic signals, including a surprise uptick in June retail sales and a drop in initial jobless claims, pointing to a resilient consumer and labor market ([apnews.com](https://apnews.com/article/1ef74b7c08099c13c9a3d68988336ccc?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Technology shares led the charge, yet Tesla bucked the trend. The disparity underscores growing investor caution around Tesla’s near‐term fundamentals, even as the broader market celebrated fresh records.

## Earnings and Investor Sentiment

Investor focus remains squarely on Tesla’s upcoming second‐quarter earnings report, scheduled for July 23, 2025. Analysts surveyed by FactSet forecast EPS of $0.39—down from $0.52 a year earlier—and anticipate revenue of approximately $22.5 billion, a decline of roughly 11% year‐over‐year ([barrons.com](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tesla-stock-price-musk-7d52c1a1?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [investors.com](https://www.investors.com/news/cathie-wood-stock-market-buys-more-tesla-stock-ahead-of-earnings/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). With fewer than five trading days before the release, trading has been choppy: the stock has fluctuated about 3% daily since the June 22 robotaxi launch, lacking a clear directional catalyst.

## Key Drivers: Robotaxi Service and External Headwinds

Tesla’s launch of its Robotaxi ride‐hailing pilot in Austin on June 22 represents a strategic milestone, but early incidents—ranging from phantom braking to navigation errors—have attracted regulatory scrutiny and may be weighing on sentiment ([barrons.com](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tesla-stock-price-musk-7d52c1a1?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Robotaxi?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Meanwhile, CEO Elon Musk’s growing political profile and escalating U.S.–China trade tensions have been cited as factors chilling buyer demand. In the first half of 2025, Tesla sold 720,803 vehicles—a 13% decline from the same period a year earlier—highlighting a need to shore up consumer confidence and production efficiency ([barrons.com](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tesla-stock-price-musk-7d52c1a1?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).

## Peer Comparison: Lucid’s Surge

On the same day Tesla underperformed, Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID) soared 35% following a $300 million strategic investment from Uber and Nuro to deploy at least 20,000 EVs in a robotaxi fleet by 2031 ([marketwatch.com](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-tesla-rivals-stock-soars-as-uber-plans-big-investment-launch-of-robotaxi-service-4412bcc2?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Lucid’s 5-month high underscores how targeted partnerships and fresh capital can ignite investor enthusiasm, in contrast to Tesla’s more diffuse headlines. This divergence highlights the sector’s bifurcation: established incumbents like Tesla face scrutiny over execution and regulatory compliance, while smaller rivals can shoot higher on niche alliances.

## Analyst and Institutional Activity

Ark Invest’s Cathie Wood doubled down on Tesla ahead of earnings, acquiring an additional 115,380 TSLA shares on July 15—approximately $35.9 million—boosting her position to over 9.8% of the ARK Innovation ETF ([investors.com](https://www.investors.com/news/cathie-wood-stock-market-buys-more-tesla-stock-ahead-of-earnings/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). On the research front, Bank of America raised its price target to $400, citing improved margin opportunities from software sales as Full Self-Driving revenue scales, while Goldman Sachs remains cautious on delivery growth, highlighting mixed intra-quarter trends across key regions ([nasdaq.com](https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/charged-wall-street-analysts-bullish-tesla-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com)).

## YTD Performance and Market Capitalization

Through July 17, Tesla shares are down roughly 18% year-to-date, having traded as high as $356.26 in late June and now hovering near $319.41 ([statmuse.com](https://www.statmuse.com/money/ask/tesla-stock-price-history-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). As of July 16, Tesla’s market capitalization stood at approximately $1.04 trillion, reflecting 3.22 billion shares outstanding ([marketbeat.com](https://www.marketbeat.com/stocks/NASDAQ/TSLA/chart/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). The pullback leaves TSLA trading about 35% below its all‐time high, underscoring the company’s transition from high-growth darling to a more contested large-cap tech equity.

## Outlook and Key Catalysts

Looking ahead, investors will scrutinize Tesla’s Q2 earnings for guidance on vehicle delivery cadence, gross margin trends, and progress in scaling the Robotaxi service without safety monitors ([barrons.com](https://www.barrons.com/articles/tesla-stock-price-musk-7d52c1a1?utm_source=chatgpt.com), [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Robotaxi?utm_source=chatgpt.com)). Additional focus will fall on any updates to the promised more affordable model expected later in 2025, as well as remarks on supply-chain cost controls. Against a backdrop of encouraging macro data, Tesla’s ability to deliver clear, actionable roadmaps will likely determine its near-term stock trajectory.

Tesla Stock Daily Drive