(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

• Tesla extended gains on upbeat analyst commentary and a favorable court ruling.
• New filings revealed three additional Robotaxi crashes in Austin, bringing the total to seven.
• Thiel Macro cut its Tesla stake by 76% and Stocktwits sentiment turned 'bearish.'

Tesla, Inc. shares rose for a second session and gained slightly after hours, aided by positive analyst commentary and a legal ruling. However, fresh Robotaxi crash reports and a steep stake cut by Peter Thiel's hedge fund weighed on retail sentiment, which slid into 'bearish' territory on Stocktwits.

Tesla's shares ended 1.1% higher on Monday at $408.92 and rose a further 0.3% in after-hours trading. Meanwhile, sentiment on Stocktwits turned 'bearish' after holding 'neutral' on Friday.

TSLA sentiment and message volume as of November 17 | Source: Stocktwits

TD Cowen Reiterates 'Buy' Rating

T.D. Cowen reaffirmed its 'Buy' rating and $509 price target after a Mobility Bus tour in Austin that included visits to Giga Texas and hands-on testing of Full Self Driving, including Version 14, according to a report by Investing. 

The brokerage firm said they left the visit with "added conviction" in their 'Buy' thesis. They described the FSD rides as "smooth and impressive" and said the tour deepened their appreciation for the manufacturing approach behind Tesla's upcoming Cybercab.

TD Cowen now estimates Cybercab's robotaxi cost per mile at about $0.30, down from its prior $0.38 estimate. It views April 2026 as the planned start of production, suggesting confidence in scaling robotaxis on the Hardware 4 platform, and said autonomous vehicles could become "financially material contributors" in the second half of 2026.

Court Reverses Class Certification In Racial Harassment Case

A California state judge ruled that more than 6,000 Black workers at Tesla's Fremont factory cannot sue as a class in a racial harassment lawsuit, reversing a 2024 ruling that had certified the class, Reuters noted.

The judge said he could not rely on testimony from a small random sample of employees to represent the entire group. The case continues through individual claims and related agency actions.

Tesla Robotaxi Crash Count Rises To Seven

Tesla disclosed three additional Robotaxi crashes in Austin, bringing the total to seven incidents since the service launched, according to a report by Electrek. The new NHTSA filings show incidents involving a passenger car that was backing up, a cyclist moving alongside the roadway, and an animal crossing. All resulted in property damage and no injuries.

Tesla moved the driving supervisor from the driver's seat to the passenger seat when the Austin Robotaxi program began, requiring every incident to be reported. Earlier filings covered three July crashes and one from last month, involving SUVs, fixed objects, and right-turn maneuvers.

The company reportedly continues to redact narrative fields in its NHTSA crash reports, preventing public insight into how the incidents occurred or who was responsible. Based on published mileage disclosures, Tesla's current Robotaxi crash rate appears about twice as high as Waymo's, despite in-car supervisors.

Peter Thiel Reduces Tesla Stake 

Peter Thiel's hedge fund, Thiel Macro LLC, cut its Tesla position by more than 76% in the third quarter, Electrek noted. The fund sold 207,613 shares, reducing its stake from 272,613 shares at the end of the second quarter to 65,000 shares at the end of September.

Thiel's reduction comes despite his longstanding ties to Elon Musk. The move followed Musk's recent appeal for shareholders to hold on to their Tesla stock and a weekend warning aimed at Bill Gates. In a post on X, Musk said that if Gates had not fully closed out the“crazy short position he has held against Tesla for about 8 years, he had better do so soon.”

Stocktwits Users Warn Of Deeper Declines

One user said,“There is nothing about the last 10 days of trading that makes this bullish. 474 to 380. GLTA, but this is dying.”

Meanwhile, another user said,“ah have been meaningless it drops like nothing you've ever seen before at open every time. Headed to 320 tomorrow.”

Tesla's stock has risen 1.3% so far in 2025.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

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