Why Tesla stock is down sharply today

The electric car maker's shares have fallen 15% month to date.

| More on:
Tesla stock represented by inside of the Tesla factory at work

Image source: The Motley Fool

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

What happened

Shares of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) tumbled on Thursday, declining more than 4% as of 12:40 p.m. ET. The stock is likely down because of knee-jerk selling in many growth stocks on Thursday, following the Federal Reserve's commentary yesterday about its expectations to raise interest rates next year. The growth stock's decline extends a bearish trend for the electric car maker's shares recently. Share have fallen a total of 15% in December alone.

So what

Many growth stocks were trading lower on Thursday. This is partly evidenced by the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite's near-2% decline as of this writing. The index has more growth stocks in it than the S&P 500, which was down a lesser 0.5% as of this writing. While Tesla stock has been battered and bruised in recent trading days, the stock is still up a market-beating 32% year to date. And that's on top of a nearly 700% gain in 2020. Shares, therefore, may simply be taking a breather after an epic run-up over the last two years.

Now what

Looking ahead, investors will be looking for Tesla to report strong vehicle deliveries for its fourth quarter. The company typically reports fourth-quarter deliveries within the first three calendar days of each year. So, investors can expect an update on Tesla's quarterly deliveries by Jan. 3, 2022. Analysts are largely expecting record deliveries for the period. Tesla will need to continue growing its vehicle deliveries rapidly in order to justify its high valuation. As of this writing, the stock trades at about 300 times earnings. Though earnings have notably been growing very rapidly. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Daniel Sparks has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia's parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

More on International Stock News

A male investor sits at his desk looking at his laptop screen holding his hand to his chin pondering whether to buy Macquarie shares
International Stock News

If you invested $10,000 in Nvidia stock the day ChatGPT came out, this is how much you'd have today

Buying Nvidia when the disruptive AI chatbot launched would have been a smart move.

Read more »

A Tesla car driving along a road at sunset
International Stock News

Why Tesla stock was climbing today

Investors were encouraged by news of a price hike on the Model Y.

Read more »

Plate with coloured wedges being parcelled out like a slice of pie representing a share split
International Stock News

Stock-split watch: Is Nvidia next?

Nvidia last split its stock when it traded for a pre-split $744 in 2021.

Read more »

A woman in jeans and a casual jumper leans on her car and looks seriously at her mobile phone while her vehicle is charged at an electic vehicle recharging station.
International Stock News

1 Wall Street analyst thinks Tesla stock is going to $125. Is it a sell?

Tesla is no longer a magnificent stock, according to a Wells Fargo analyst.

Read more »

A young man goes over his finances and investment portfolio at home.
International Stock News

Is Nvidia stock a buy?

The company's stock could rise 40% over the next two years and outperform the S&P 500.

Read more »

Man with hands in the middle of two items with money bags on them.
International Stock News

Is Nvidia headed for a stock split?

Nvidia stock has split five previous times in the company's history.

Read more »

Digital rocket on a laptop.
International Stock News

Nvidia shares surged (again) today. Is it too late to buy the red-hot artificial intelligence (AI) growth stock?

Nvidia stock has gained nearly 300% over the past year. Can investors still profit from this AI stock?

Read more »

A woman holds a soldering tool as she sits in front of a computer screen while working on the manufacturing of technology equipment in a laboratory environment.
International Stock News

Can you buy Nvidia shares on the ASX?

This stock has rocketed higher. How do we get access to it?

Read more »