Gary Zhou 
Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) second stock split in as many years and its manufacturing capacity, which has already grown considerably with new factory openings in 2022, indicate a “massive position of strength” for the electric automaker, according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. Ives, who has held a bullish position on Tesla for years, sees parallels in Tesla’s move for another stock split with Amazon, Google, and Apple’s strategies.
“Tesla right now is in a massive position of strength in terms of where they’re heading from a manufacturing perspective, in terms of Berlin, as well as Austin and overall demand,” Ives said to Yahoo! Finance in an interview. “They have that high-class problem of a four-digit stock. And I think it’s something where you could always have the debate, but a stock split is a smart strategic move for Tesla, just like it was for Amazon, just like it was for Google, as well as for Apple.”
Tesla’s last stock split, which took place in August 2020, gave young and retail investors the opportunity to get in on the stock as it rose to astronomical levels. Shares were trading at three times the value compared to the beginning of the year, and when Tesla announced the split on August 11, shares were trading at around $1,450.00. Shares exploded to $2,000 when the stock split at the end of August 2020. The price reset at around $460 per share.
Tesla stock has bumped in value considerably over the past month, up over 25 percent since February 28. The automaker’s opening of the Gigafactory Berlin facility in Germany earlier this month was a bullish move as Tesla has been waiting for approval on the factory for about six months. Additionally, Tesla will open its new Gigafactory Texas plant in Austin soon, as it is still awaiting approval on a final version of the Model Y crossover, according to EPA documents.
The stock split is Ives’ biggest focus, especially as Tesla just announced it would let shareholders vote on the proposal during the annual meeting this Summer. After shares dipped earlier this month due to “inflation pressure” that surged vehicle prices upward, the stock has performed a major turnaround and worked its way toward a potential split.
“You don’t buy it because of a stock split,” Ives added to his commentary during the interview. “You buy it because fundamentally where you think it’s gonna go, but the stock split is gonna be something that is a catalyst.” Ives went on to mention the stock split has been a major discussion amongst investors for several months. “I think it was smart to get out there,” Ives said.
The frequency of Tesla stock splits is a major indicator of strength in Ives’ eyes. A “company that’s gonna do their second split in two years is not doing it because they’re in a position of weakness. I think it shows a position of strength,” Ives said.
Last week, Ives told Teslarati “Musk is flexing his muscles with the Berlin and Austin build-outs, and within the EV landscape, at this point, it’s Tesla’s world and everyone else is paying rent.”
Ives holds a $1,400 price target on Tesla stock and is ranked #86 out of 7,918 analysts on TipRanks.
