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Tesla's stock received a major boost as Roth MKM's Craig Irwin upgraded his rating from Neutral to Buy, raising the price target to $380. Irwin, a longtime Tesla skeptic, now sees Trump-backed policies and a growing conservative customer base as catalysts for the automaker's success.
Tesla Skeptic Turns Bullish With Major Upgrade
A long-time Tesla stock skeptic has become a much more bullish voice and price target holder, meaning the company has lost one of its biggest bears this morning, Teslarati shares.
Roth MKM's Craig Irwin raised the firm's price objective for Tesla stock from $85 to $380 and upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy.
For quite some time, Irwin has been skeptical of Tesla. Irwin claimed that Tesla was "egregiously" overpriced in December 2023. He maintained his Hold rating on shares in October after earlier this year declaring the end of the price war at the company.
Elon Musk and Trump’s Regulatory Advantage
Irwin has a few good reasons to propose that investors purchase shares of the manufacturer, and he has raised his price target to $380.
Firstly, CEO Elon Musk has already been appointed to a position in the Department of Government Efficiency by President-elect Donald Trump, giving Tesla a leg up in the business world.
On the other hand, many industry watchers think that the close relationship between Musk and Trump may speed up regulatory processes, particularly in the area of autonomous driving—which Tesla plans to introduce with its Cybercab in the near future.
EV Tax Credit Elimination as a Tesla Advantage
Many analysts, including Irwin, actually view Trump's elimination of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit as an advantage for Tesla. This will have a greater influence on legacy manufacturers than anybody else, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, and will help Tesla stave off competition from other automakers.
In a message to investors this morning, Irwin mentioned that conservative voters could provide a significant boost to Tesla, particularly after the election:
“Enthusiasm for Tesla among conservative voters, comprising a mostly fresh buying pool, should also lift the demand trajectory.”
New Demographics Could Boost Tesla Deliveries
The addition of a new demographic to Tesla's roster of prospective customers, according to Irwin, lends credence to the company's projection of a 20-30% bump in 2025 deliveries.
While Republicans are more likely to be opposed to electric vehicles than Democrats, Musk's relationship with Trump may have influenced some conservatives to back EVs, particularly Tesla models.
The current East Coast market price for a Tesla is $354.46 as of 11:53 a.m.
