TLDR
- Tesla stock gained 4.1% to $413.50 as executive LinkedIn posts confirmed accelerated hiring for Musk’s solar manufacturing expansion
- Job postings reveal company targets 100 GW U.S. solar capacity from raw materials by December 2028 deadline
- Oppenheimer Asset Management raised Tesla stake 17.5% in Q3 as institutional ownership climbed to 66.2% total
- Tesla posted Q4 earnings of $0.50 per share, beating $0.45 estimate, with revenue at $24.90 billion down 3.1%
- Company lost European EV market leadership to Volkswagen as competitive pressures mount across global markets
Tesla shares climbed 4.1% to $413.50 on February 9 following announcements about the company’s solar manufacturing push. Multiple executives confirmed active recruiting efforts to support the initiative.
Senior manager Seth Winger posted on LinkedIn that Tesla needs “audacious, ambitious engineers and scientists” to scale production. The company is targeting specialists who can solve manufacturing problems at high speed.
A Tesla job listing for solar manufacturing development engineer specified the goal to “deploy 100GW of solar manufacturing from raw materials on American soil before the end of 2028.” Musk previously announced the 100 GW target but hadn’t provided a timeline.
Director of Engineering Ralf Gomm and battery cell manufacturing VP Bonne Eggleston also posted about solar hiring this week. The coordinated messaging suggests the project is moving from concept to execution.
The stock is maintaining support above $400, a level that previously acted as resistance. Technical indicators show the 50-day moving average trending higher beneath current prices.
Institutional Buying Activity Increases
Oppenheimer Asset Management purchased 8,804 additional shares in Q3, growing its position 17.5%. The firm now holds 59,155 shares valued at roughly $26.31 million.
Norges Bank took a new position worth $11.84 billion in the second quarter. Institutional investors collectively own 66.2% of outstanding shares.
Narwhal Capital Management increased holdings 32.8% in Q3 to 9,516 shares. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd raised its stake 1,823% during Q2.
Tesla reported fourth quarter earnings on January 28, delivering $0.50 per share. Wall Street expected $0.45.
Revenue totaled $24.90 billion for the quarter, down 3.1% compared to the prior year. The company carries a P/E ratio of 380.66 and market cap of $1.54 trillion.
Seventeen analysts rate the stock Buy, fourteen say Hold, and nine recommend Sell. The consensus rating is Hold with an average target price of $403.92.
Automotive Business Faces Headwinds
Volkswagen overtook Tesla as the leading EV seller in Europe during 2025. Volkswagen’s European BEV sales increased 56% while Tesla registrations declined 27%.
BYD surpassed Tesla in worldwide sales the previous year. The consecutive market share losses indicate structural challenges beyond temporary demand weakness.
Tesla is diversifying through solar energy, grid integration, and AI development. The company launched a program in Texas enabling Cybertruck owners to earn credits by supplying electricity to the grid.
U.S. solar manufacturing capacity currently stands at 65 GW for modules and 3.2 GW for cells. Achieving 100 GW would require massive infrastructure development.
TD Cowen analyst Jeff Osborne described the targets as “aspirational rather than likely” given historical execution challenges. Musk has repeatedly announced aggressive timelines that haven’t materialized on schedule.
Tesla bought a Buffalo factory via the 2016 SolarCity acquisition with plans for 1 GW production. Manufacturing partner Panasonic withdrew from the project in 2020.
Chart resistance appears near $430, with stronger selling pressure between $460 and $480. A drop below $395 would compromise the bullish structure and potentially trigger a decline toward $370.
Director Kimbal Musk sold 56,820 shares on December 9 at an average price of $450.66. CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,637 shares on December 8 at $443.93 per share.
