New York, Jan 13, 2026, 09:33 EST — Regular session
- Tesla shares climbed 0.9%, reaching $448.96 in early trading
- Wolfe Research called 2026 a “pivotal” year for advancements in full self-driving and robotaxis
- Tesla will release its fourth-quarter results on Jan. 28, after markets close
Tesla shares climbed early Tuesday, buoyed by a steadier mood among rate-sensitive growth stocks following the latest U.S. inflation figures and a new analyst note highlighting autonomy.
U.S. consumer prices climbed 0.3% in December, maintaining a 2.7% annual pace, according to the latest data. This keeps the Federal Reserve on track to leave rates unchanged at its Jan. 27-28 meeting. “We got a modicum of good news with today’s CPI report,” said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B. Riley Wealth, highlighting the slightly softer core inflation reading.
Wolfe Research warned Tesla is up against a “difficult fundamental setup” in its auto business come 2026, though the stock might remain resilient if execution gets better. The firm flagged 2026 as a “pivotal” year for Tesla to make headway on full self-driving and robotaxi efforts — including dropping safety drivers and rolling out to additional markets. 1
Wolfe’s Emmanuel Rosner stayed “tactically constructive” on Tesla despite highlighting the impact of losing the $7,500 U.S. federal EV tax credit, Barron’s reported. He forecasted 1.8 million EV sales in 2026 and an EPS of $1.84 as AI investment ramps up. Rosner also projected around $60 billion in robotaxi-related EBITDA by 2035. 2
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which still demands driver oversight, continues to face close examination from U.S. safety regulators. 3
Tesla’s shares dipped early after its latest delivery figures sparked fresh doubts over demand for its main car line, even as Musk pushes harder on the self-driving angle. Reuters reported earlier this month that Tesla’s sales are expected to drop around 8.6% in 2025 amid fiercer rivalry, with China’s BYD overtaking it as the global leader in EV deliveries. 4
Investors have been sold on the autonomy narrative for years, yet the near-term numbers remain tough. If demand for vehicles stays sluggish or if AI and compute expenses climb faster than revenue, margins may shrink, making the stock’s lofty valuation tougher to justify.
Traders can gauge that balance on Jan. 28, when Tesla reports fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes and hosts a Q&A webcast at 5:30 p.m. Eastern. 5
