Piper Sandler analysts said they are tactically equal-weight on Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)'s stock leading up to the crucial shareholder meeting on June 13th.
The investment firm states, "Our recent TSLA-related conversations have not focused on modeling. This is because, in the immediate term, everyone seems focused on the shareholder meeting."
The outcome of the vote on the board's recommendations is seen as a key factor for the stock's near-term direction.
Piper Sandler suggests, "If shareholders vote in favor of the board's recommendations, then we think TSLA will trade sideways at worst."
The challenge lies in predicting the vote's outcome, given the high level of retail ownership exceeding 40% and mixed stances among institutional investors. "With a few institutions in both the 'yea' and 'nay' camps — we're not sure what will happen," the note acknowledges.
To mitigate risk, Piper Sandler says it's "tactically equal-weight" before the vote. Looking beyond June, the analysts remain optimistic about Tesla, citing the growing focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a positive factor for their Overweight rating.
While the report adjusts near-term delivery forecasts downwards, it also signals an improved outlook for margins. These adjustments balance each other out, leaving Piper Sandler's price target for Tesla unchanged at $205.