Tesla Stock Falls 0.77% in April 15 Pre-Market to $250.40 as Delivery, Margin Pressures Resurface
Key Highlights:
Austin, Texas / New York, April 15 (IST): Shares of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) fell 0.77% in pre-market trading on Monday to $250.40, down from the previous close of $252.35. The move reflects renewed investor anxiety over potential margin compression, global delivery slowdown, and intensifying electric vehicle (EV) competition, particularly out of China and Europe.
With Q1 earnings expected later this month, the dip also signals cautious positioning by institutional investors who are wary of Tesla’s ability to maintain growth amid headwinds in both pricing and production efficiency.
Tesla Pre-Market Snapshot – April 15, 2025
- Pre-Market Price: $250.40
- Previous Close (April 14): $252.35
- Change: -$1.95 (-0.77%)
- 52-Week Range: $138.80 – $488.54
- P/E Ratio: 123.80
- Market Cap: $790.7 billion
- Dividend Yield: N/A (Tesla does not issue dividends)
Key Factors Driving Tesla’s Pre-Market Decline
1. Anticipation of Weak Q1 Deliveries
Several analysts have revised down their Q1 delivery expectations. Early numbers from China suggest that:
- Domestic EV competition from BYD and XPeng is growing
- Price cuts from early 2025 may not have yielded a strong enough demand bump
- Inventory backlogs are reported at multiple U.S. delivery centers
Investors are now pricing in the possibility that Q1 vehicle deliveries may miss the 475,000-unit consensus.
2. Margin Compression Risks Resurface
Tesla’s historically strong gross margins have come under pressure:
- Aggressive pricing strategies to defend volume have eroded profitability
- High input costs for lithium and nickel continue to impact battery unit economics
- Cybertruck production is still in its ramp-up phase and not expected to be margin-positive until 2026
All eyes are on Q1 results to see if margins stay above the psychologically important 18–20% mark.
3. Broader Tech Market Weakness
Tesla’s dip is also part of a broader pullback in mega-cap tech stocks:
- Apple fell 1.12% in pre-market
- Amazon was down 0.34%
- Nvidia slipped 0.45%
- Microsoft was flat at -0.064%
With yields on the 10-year U.S. Treasury rising again toward 4.6%, growth-heavy stocks like Tesla are vulnerable.
Tesla Pre-Market Performance vs Peers – April 15
| Company | Pre-Market Price | % Change | Previous Close | Key Concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla (TSLA) | $250.40 | -0.77% | $252.35 | Margin risk, delivery fears |
| Apple (AAPL) | $200.25 | -1.12% | $202.52 | No fresh catalyst, yield risk |
| Amazon (AMZN) | $181.51 | -0.34% | $182.13 | Weak consumer spending outlook |
| Microsoft (MSFT) | $387.56 | -0.064% | $387.81 | Flat ahead of Azure guidance |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | $110.21 | -0.45% | $110.71 | AI fatigue, profit-taking |
Tesla Earnings Preview: What to Watch in Q1 2025
Expected Metrics
- Revenue: ~$24.8 billion
- EPS: ~$0.78 per share
- Gross Margin: ~18.4% (down from 22% YoY)
- Deliveries: ~472,000 units
- CapEx: Expected ~$2.1 billion
Investor Focus Areas
- Cybertruck production updates – delays could raise CapEx
- Berlin & Austin factory utilization
- Full-Self Driving (FSD) software rollout status
- Margins on Model 3 and Y post-price cuts
Elon Musk’s tone on the call will likely dictate the market reaction more than the raw numbers.
Technical Breakdown: Key Levels for Tesla Stock
| Level | Price | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Support 1 | $248.00 | Pre-market weakness floor |
| Support 2 | $243.50 | March 2025 consolidation zone |
| Resistance 1 | $255.80 | Last intraday top (April 12) |
| Resistance 2 | $262.20 | Gap-fill level from February 2025 |
If Tesla closes below $248, it could open the door to a short-term correction toward $240.
Institutional Views on Tesla – April 15 Commentary
Wedbush Securities (Dan Ives)
“We still see Tesla as the dominant EV force globally, but the margin story in the near term is messy.”
Goldman Sachs
“Neutral on valuation. Software ramp and autonomy will be key re-rating triggers for Tesla in 2H 2025.”
Bernstein
“Tesla’s P/E remains rich versus legacy auto. Without margin improvement or robo-taxi momentum, upside is capped.”
Global EV Sentiment Impacting Tesla
- BYD recently announced 14 new EV launches in Asia and Europe, undercutting Tesla’s entry-level Model 3 in price
- Volkswagen is expanding its ID.4 production in the U.S. under IRA tax benefits
- Ford and GM are ramping up hybrid models again, dampening EV-only sentiment
Tesla remains dominant in branding and vertical integration, but it now competes on both tech and price — a dynamic it previously avoided.
Long-Term Bull Case: Still Strong?
Despite short-term headwinds, Tesla’s long-term thesis remains intact:
- Energy storage business (Megapack) is growing 50% YoY
- Autonomous driving beta expansion expected in EU and India
- Dojo Supercomputer + AI R&D investments could unlock new verticals
But investors want clarity on when profits will scale with innovation — not just vision.
Tesla Faces a Tough Pre-Market Start on April 15 as Investors Seek Margin Clarity
Tesla’s 0.77% dip to $250.40 is a clear signal of caution heading into earnings season. With macroeconomic risks rising and EV competition intensifying, the market wants more than vision — it wants results.
As April unfolds, Tesla’s ability to:
- Deliver units
- Defend gross margins
- Expand FSD and Cybertruck adoption
will determine whether it can break out above the $260–270 range or revisit support near $240.
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