Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Director James Murdoch Sells 60,000 Shares

Key Points

  • Tesla Director James Murdoch sold 60,000 shares on Jan. 2 at an average price of $445.40 for $26.724 million, trimming his holding by 9.42% to 577,031 shares (≈$257.0M), per an SEC filing.
  • Broader market context: Tesla trades with a ~ $1.44 trillion market cap and a rich valuation (PE ≈288.6) amid mixed analyst views (consensus "Hold", average target $408.36) as the company faces signs of stabilization but also delivery declines and rising competitive pressure.

Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA - Get Free Report) Director James Murdoch sold 60,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $445.40, for a total transaction of $26,724,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 577,031 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $257,009,607.40. This trade represents a 9.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Tesla Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ TSLA opened at $432.96 on Wednesday. Tesla, Inc. has a 12-month low of $214.25 and a 12-month high of $498.83. The company has a market cap of $1.44 trillion, a PE ratio of 288.64, a P/E/G ratio of 7.23 and a beta of 1.83. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $445.20 and a 200-day simple moving average of $393.52. The company has a current ratio of 2.07, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, October 23rd. The electric vehicle producer reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.02. Tesla had a return on equity of 6.61% and a net margin of 5.51%.The firm had revenue of $28.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $24.98 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.72 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Tesla, Inc. will post 2.56 EPS for the current year.

More Tesla News




Here are the key news stories impacting Tesla this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: New Street Research raised its price target to $600 and maintained a Buy rating, signaling some sell‑side conviction that upside remains despite short‑term pain. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Tesla is offering zero‑interest loans on Model 3 and Y in China to regain market traction — a tactical move to support volume in a key market. Read More.
  • Positive Sentiment: Some analysts and commentators see signs of stabilization (U.S. share gains and energy/AI levers) that could support a recovery if Tesla demonstrates demand and execution improvement. Read More.
  • Neutral Sentiment: MarketBeat notes two ways to trade TSLA into January earnings — buy the dip (if you trust the long‑term story) or wait for post‑earnings confirmation given weakened short‑term technicals. Read More.
  • Neutral Sentiment: Elon Musk has downplayed an immediate threat from Nvidia, while acknowledging some Nvidia tech could be competitive in several years — a mixed signal about timing of competitive risk. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Nvidia’s Alpamayo rollout and broader push into autonomous‑driving AI is prompting investors to rethink Tesla’s AI advantage, increasing competitive pressure on Tesla’s FSD/robotaxi ambitions. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Tesla reported another year of lower vehicle deliveries (2025 decline, Q4 miss) and faces falling shipments in China, UK and Germany — concrete demand/market‑share headwinds versus rivals like BYD. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Multiple firms have reaffirmed sell/concerned ratings (UBS, HSBC, JPMorgan, DZ Bank) and critics cite valuation and execution risk — analyst divergence raises volatility risk. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Regulatory risk: a U.S. lawmaker is preparing a bill to require manual door releases — a potential design/regulatory headwind given Tesla’s popular electrically powered handles. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Brand/product execution issues: a key product name (Cybercab) was reportedly unavailable for trademark, adding uncertainty around product rollout/marketing. Read More.
  • Negative Sentiment: Insider activity: Director James R. Murdoch sold 60,000 shares (SEC filing), an action that can weigh on sentiment even if it’s routine diversification. Read More.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Tesla

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Chapman Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in Tesla during the second quarter valued at about $26,000. Chelsea Counsel Co. raised its holdings in shares of Tesla by 59.7% during the first quarter. Chelsea Counsel Co. now owns 107 shares of the electric vehicle producer's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 40 shares during the period. LGT Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Tesla in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Tesla in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, CoreFirst Bank & Trust purchased a new position in Tesla during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. 66.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on TSLA. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued a "buy" rating and set a $500.00 target price on shares of Tesla in a research note on Friday, January 2nd. Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Tesla in a research note on Monday, November 17th. BNP Paribas upped their target price on Tesla from $307.00 to $313.00 in a research report on Monday, December 1st. BNP Paribas Exane began coverage on Tesla in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. They set an "underperform" rating and a $307.00 price target on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Tesla from $400.00 to $420.00 in a report on Friday, January 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty have given a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and nine have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Tesla currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $408.36.

View Our Latest Report on TSLA

About Tesla

(Get Free Report)

Tesla, Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) is an American company that designs, manufactures and sells electric vehicles, energy generation and energy storage products. Founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, Tesla grew into a vertically integrated mobility and clean‑energy company with Elon Musk serving as its chief executive officer. The company's stated mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy, reflected in its combined focus on electric drivetrains, battery technology, renewable energy products and software.

Tesla's automotive business includes a lineup of battery‑electric vehicles and related services.

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