Wall Street analyst downgrades Tesla stock as TSLA crashes below $300

Core Viewpoint - Tesla shares are experiencing significant pressure following a downgrade by William Blair, with the stock price dropping below $300 in pre-market trading, indicating investor concerns about demand and profitability due to recent policy changes [1][4]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Tesla shares closed at $315.35 but fell 6.5% in pre-market trading, reaching around $294 [1]. - The downgrade has led to a sharp decline in stock price, reflecting market reactions to the news [4]. Group 2: Analyst Downgrade - William Blair downgraded Tesla's rating from 'Outperform' to 'Market Perform' due to anticipated demand issues following the removal of the $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit and the elimination of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) fines [4][6]. - Analyst Jed Dorsheimer highlighted that the loss of the EV tax credit could negatively impact demand, but the more pressing concern is the potential loss of over $2 billion in profit from regulatory credits, which would directly affect Tesla's profitability [5][6]. Group 3: Investor Sentiment - Investor sentiment is further strained by CEO Elon Musk's political ambitions, which have raised concerns about his focus on Tesla during a critical period for the company [7][8]. - Dan Ives, a long-time Tesla analyst, noted that investors are feeling a "sense of exhaustion" regarding Musk's political involvement, which contrasts with their expectations for his focus on the company [8][9].