TLDR
- Tesla stock rose 4.1% to $413.50 as company executives confirmed hiring push for Elon Musk’s 100 GW solar manufacturing initiative
- New job listings specify end of 2028 as target date for deploying full solar capacity on American soil
- Institutional investors boosted positions with Oppenheimer increasing stake 17.5% and Norges Bank adding $11.84 billion
- Company beat Q4 earnings at $0.50 per share versus $0.45 consensus despite revenue dropping 3.1% year-over-year
- Stock trades at P/E ratio of 380.66 while facing market share pressure after Volkswagen captured Europe EV lead
Tesla shares gained 4.1% to $413.50 on February 9 as hiring announcements validated the company’s solar manufacturing ambitions. The move builds on recent momentum above the $400 support level.
Senior executives posted on LinkedIn about recruiting engineers and scientists for the solar expansion. Seth Winger, senior manager for solar products engineering, called the project “audacious” and “ambitious.”
Job postings outlined the company’s plan to “deploy 100GW of solar manufacturing from raw materials on American soil before the end of 2028.” This marks the first time Tesla attached a specific deadline to the initiative.
The timeline provides clarity around Musk’s vision announced last month. Tesla unveiled a new solar panel at its Buffalo factory and sent delegations to visit Chinese solar companies this week.
Technical indicators show the stock holding firm above $400 after weeks of consolidation. The 50-day moving average trends upward just below current levels while the 200-day average remains near $360.
Major Funds Increase Holdings
Oppenheimer Asset Management expanded its Tesla stake 17.5% during Q3 by purchasing 8,804 shares. The fund’s total position stands at 59,155 shares worth approximately $26.31 million.
Norges Bank established a fresh position valued at $11.84 billion in the second quarter. Total institutional ownership now represents 66.2% of shares outstanding.
AustralianSuper Pty Ltd dramatically increased its stake by 1,823% in Q2. Narwhal Capital Management lifted holdings 32.8% in the same period.
Tesla delivered better-than-expected Q4 results on January 28. Earnings per share came in at $0.50, topping the $0.45 analyst consensus.
Quarterly revenue reached $24.90 billion, reflecting a 3.1% decline from the year-ago period. The stock carries a P/E multiple of 380.66 with a market capitalization of $1.54 trillion.
Analyst sentiment remains mixed with a Hold consensus and $403.92 average price target. The stock has seventeen Buy ratings, fourteen Holds, and nine Sells.
EV Market Share Under Pressure
Volkswagen claimed the top spot in European EV sales during 2025, displacing Tesla. Volkswagen’s European BEV registrations surged 56% while Tesla’s dropped 27%.
The shift follows BYD’s earlier move past Tesla in global deliveries. These developments underscore increasing competition in Tesla’s core automotive business.
Tesla is expanding beyond vehicles into solar energy, grid services, and artificial intelligence. A Texas pilot program allows Cybertruck owners to earn bill credits by feeding power back to the grid.
Current U.S. solar capacity totals 65 GW for modules and 3.2 GW for cells. Reaching 100 GW would require substantial infrastructure buildout.
TD Cowen analyst Jeff Osborne characterized the targets as “aspirational” given Musk’s track record on timelines. The CEO has frequently announced ambitious deadlines that slip.
Tesla’s previous solar venture through the 2016 SolarCity acquisition targeted 1 GW of production. Manufacturing partner Panasonic departed the Buffalo facility in 2020.
Near-term resistance appears at $430, followed by a heavier zone between $460 and $480. Support below current levels sits at $395, with a break potentially triggering a move toward $370.
Insider Kimbal Musk sold 56,820 shares at $450.66 on December 9. CFO Vaibhav Taneja offloaded 2,637 shares at $443.93 on December 8.
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