Peter Thiel Sells Tesla, Buys Apple Instead
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 24 2026
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Should l Buy TSLA?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Tesla's Market Status: As of January 20, Tesla's market capitalization stands at $1.4 trillion, which is 16% below its all-time high, indicating market concerns regarding its future growth amid rising competition.
- Thiel's Investment Strategy: Peter Thiel's macro fund sold 76% of its Tesla position and shifted capital into Apple, reflecting a preference for blue-chip stocks in light of increasing economic uncertainty.
- Conflicting Market Signals: While the S&P 500 remains elevated due to the AI hype, rising inflation and unemployment rates indicate economic uncertainty, which could impact investor confidence moving forward.
- Risk Hedging Strategy: Tesla remains Thiel's largest position while Apple is the smallest, showcasing his flexible approach to balancing high-risk and safe investments, aiming for solid risk-adjusted returns in varying market conditions.
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Analyst Views on TSLA
Wall Street analysts forecast TSLA stock price to rise
30 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
11 Hold
7 Sell
Hold
Current: 387.510
Low
25.28
Averages
401.93
High
600.00
Current: 387.510
Low
25.28
Averages
401.93
High
600.00
About TSLA
Tesla, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, sells and leases high-performance fully electric vehicles and energy generation and storage systems, and offers services related to its products. Its segments include automotive, and energy generation and storage. The automotive segment includes the design, development, manufacturing, sales and leasing of high-performance fully electric vehicles, and sales of automotive regulatory credits. It also includes sales of used vehicles, non-warranty maintenance services and collisions, part sales, paid supercharging, insurance services revenue and retail merchandise sales. The energy generation and storage segment include the design, manufacture, installation, sales and leasing of solar energy generation and energy storage products and related services and sales of solar energy systems incentives. Its consumer vehicles include the Model 3, Y, S, X and Cybertruck. Its lithium-ion battery energy storage products include Powerwall and Megapack.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Tesla's Q1 Free Cash Flow: Tesla reported a free cash flow of USD 1,444 million for the first quarter, indicating strong financial performance.
Correction of Amount: The reported cash flow figure was corrected to reflect the accurate amount, emphasizing the importance of precise financial reporting.
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- Capital Expenditure Pressure: Analyst Paul Meeks highlighted that Tesla must significantly ramp up capital expenditures to maintain leadership in next-generation technologies, despite its current tight cash flow potentially leading to deeply negative free cash flow.
- Declining EV Sales: Tesla is experiencing a decline in electric vehicle sales, with Meeks stating that investors want to see stabilization in this business to improve auto gross margins, making the current market environment feel 'a little scary'.
- Uncertain Future Outlook: Analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald view 2026 as a transitional year for Tesla, citing the company's Q1 deliveries and energy deployments falling short of Wall Street expectations, while initiatives like Robotaxi and Optimus face challenges in their rollout.
- Market Sentiment Fluctuations: Despite Tesla's stock being down 14% year-to-date, it has risen 70% over the past 12 months, indicating that retail investor sentiment on Stocktwits remains 'extremely bullish', reflecting optimism about the expansion of Robotaxi services.
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- Robotaxi Plans in Jeopardy: Jefferies warned that Tesla's ambition to deploy robotaxi services across 25%-50% of U.S. markets this year appears “beyond reach,” potentially raising funding concerns and increasing the rationale for a merger with SpaceX.
- Investor Focus on AI Investments: Dan Ives from Wedbush highlighted that investors are closely monitoring Tesla's $2 billion investment in xAI and its potential exposure to SpaceX post-merger, particularly regarding Cybercab development and new factory construction.
- Q1 Earnings Expectations: Tesla is set to report its Q1 earnings after market close on Tuesday, with deliveries at 358,023 vehicles, falling short of the expected 365,645, while production reached 408,386, indicating a gap of over 50,000 units between production and deliveries.
- SpaceX IPO Under Scrutiny: SpaceX is preparing for what could be the largest IPO in history, targeting a valuation of $75 billion, with Musk likely retaining voting control through a dual-class share structure, which may impact investor confidence in its future.
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Norway Wealth Fund Deputy CEO's Statement: The Deputy CEO of Norway's Wealth Fund has indicated that they are currently in dialogue with SpaceX regarding potential investments.
Assessment of Investment Opportunities: The fund is assessing whether investing in the company could be of interest, reflecting a strategic approach to diversifying its portfolio.
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- Tesla's Acquisition: Tesla has agreed to purchase an AI hardware company for up to $2 billion.
- Stock and Equity Awards: The deal will be financed through Tesla common stock and equity awards, as indicated in a SEC filing.
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- Earnings Beat Expectations: Tesla's latest earnings report revealed a 16% sales growth, surpassing analysts' expectations; however, the stock fell 3.59%, reflecting market concerns over the company's plan to spend $25 billion on capital expenditures in 2026.
- Surge in Trading Volume: Trading volume reached 93.1 million shares, about 47% above the three-month average, indicating heightened investor interest in Tesla's future direction, particularly regarding the execution of its robotaxi and autonomy timelines.
- Cautious Market Reaction: Despite Tesla's immense growth potential in electric vehicles and energy storage, its high P/E ratio of 89 raises concerns as the market weighs the implications of its strategic shift from EVs to Cybercabs and robotics, potentially impacting short-term investor confidence.
- Optimistic Future Outlook: CEO Elon Musk anticipates that production of Cybercabs and Semi-Trucks will commence in 2026, with exponential growth expected in 2027, while the energy unit has achieved record-high margins, and full self-driving systems may surpass human safety metrics by 2027.
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