Dernières nouvelles pour Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Stock

Tesla

Tesla is a vertically integrated battery electric vehicle automaker and developer of autonomous driving software. The company has multiple vehicles in its fleet, which include luxury and midsize sedans, crossover SUVs, a light truck, and a semi truck. Tesla also plans to begin selling more affordable vehicles, a sports car, and a robotaxi. Global deliveries in 2023 were a little over 1.8 million vehicles. The company sells batteries for stationary storage for residential and commercial properties including utilities and solar panels and solar roofs for energy generation. Tesla also owns a fast-charging network.

Tesla Inc

The Future Fund LLC Managing Partner and Tesla (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) bull Gary Black said on Friday that the EV company&#8217;s earnings per share (EPS) revisions have not kept pace with the stock price surge since Donald Trump&#8217;s victory in the Presidential elections.
What Happened: &#8220;We know that $TSLA is up +51% YTD (vs NDX +28%), all of which is since the Nov election (TSLA +50% vs NDX +7%) on the belief that ally Trump can streamline TSLA's efforts to secure autonomous deployment licenses. The question is: Have TSLA Adj EPS ests increased as well? The short answer is not much,&#8221; Black said on Friday. 
Black noted that Tesla&#8217;s FY2025 adjusted EPS estimates are up by only 1.6% since the election. 
&#8220;Put differently, all of TSLA's +50% price appreciation since the election reflects P/E expansion, which on FY'25 eps ests have increased from 77x before the election to 114x today (+48%),&#8221; he said while adding that he continues to be &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41870590/tesla-remains-core-for-gary-black-despite-price-cuts-earnings-drop-nvidia-google-eli-lilly-among-top-performers-in-tech-bulls-portfolio">very bullish</a>&#8221; on the stock. 
However, Black also said that he is &#8220;cautious&#8221; as he believes multiple expansions should reflect an acceleration in earnings growth. The expansion, he said, could come next year if Tesla gets robotaxi deployment permits from Texas and California or if other automakers attempt to license the company&#8217;s full self-driving driver assistance software. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">As a fundamentals-based analyst, I generally don't look at price charts, but two I look at are TSLA's P/E trend on a forward one-year basis, and TSLA Adj EPS est on both near-term FY'25 and longer-term FY'29 ests. We know that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> is up +51% YTD (vs NDX +28%), all of which is… <a href="https://t.co/fqH4ky4jwn">pic.twitter.com/fqH4ky4jwn</a>
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1865124954574110801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: Overall, analysts have a consensus rating of "Buy" on the Tesla stock, with the highest price target being $411. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42358854/multiple-analysts-hike-price-target-on-tesla-days-after-bear-turned-bullish">most recent analyst ratings by</a> Guggenheim, BofA Securities, and Roth MKM have an average price target of $318.33, implying an 18% downside.
Tesla shares closed up 5.3% at $389.22 on Friday. The stock is up by nearly 57% year-to-date, taking its market capitalization over $1 trillion, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/tsla/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="473" height="354" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-680218" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings.jpg 473w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px" /></a></figure>
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42361181/more-than-tesla-rivian-customers-are-most-likely-to-return-to-the-brand-survey-shows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">More Than Tesla, Rivian Customers Are Most Likely To Return To The Brand, Survey Shows</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

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TSLA Stock Rally Since Trump Win Has This Analyst 'Cautious' About EV Giant's Prospects Even As He Maintains 'Very Bullish' Outlook: Here's Why

EV giant Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) will rely on pre-assembled superchargers in the Nordic countries including Norway to keep up the pace of deployment in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36732243/how-to-optimally-charge-tesla-in-freezing-weather-youtuber-shows-right-way-amid-chicagos-cold-snap">freezing temperatures</a>, senior company executive Max de Zegher said on Thursday.
What Happened: De Zegher was responding to an X user who noted that Tesla had opened two of the latest versions of superchargers in Norway in a day.
&#8220;And pre-assembled Superchargers, which we'll see more of in the Nordics. Another benefit from going with pre-assembled Superchargers is that we can keep building even in freezing temperatures,&#8221; the director of charging replied. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">And pre-assembled Superchargers, which we'll see more of in the Nordics. Another benefit from going with pre-assembled Superchargers is that we can keep building even in freezing temperatures.
&mdash; Max de Zegher (@MdeZegher) <a href="https://twitter.com/MdeZegher/status/1864801494475956578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Last month, Tesla updated its phone app to allow customers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42105055/tesla-app-allows-users-to-report-issues-on-snow-accumulation-insufficient-lighting-at-charging-locations-with-new-update-ahead-of-winter">to report issues</a> including trash and snow accumulation at&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/topic/tesla-supercharger" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">charging locations</a>. Customers can share issues ranging from access, cleanliness, insufficient lighting, and damage in the form of cracked post skins with the update.
Why It Matters: As of the end of the third quarter, Tesla had 6,706 supercharger stations around the globe and 62,421 connectors.
During Tesla's annual shareholder meeting in June, Tesla CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;slammed rumors of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38757383/elon-musk-announces-500m-investment-in-teslas-supercharger-network-expansion-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">death of its supercharger network&nbsp;</a>following a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41200538/tesla-supercharger-network-growth-slows-sequentially-ev-giant-adds-2-800-stalls-in-q3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">major layoff in April&nbsp;</a>as "greatly exaggerated." Musk then said that Tesla would invest $500 million in expanding the network this year.
Tesla's company-wide layoffs in April impacted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38846223/elon-musk-fired-supercharger-chief-rebecca-tinucci-and-her-entire-team-after-she-refused-to-lay-off" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">500 members of the supercharging team</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla's then Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure, left the company.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42361181/more-than-tesla-rivian-customers-are-most-likely-to-return-to-the-brand-survey-shows">More Than Tesla, Rivian Customers Are Most Likely To Return To The Brand, Survey Shows</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

Tesla To Rely On Pre-Assembled Superchargers To Keep Up Deployment In Nordic Winters, Says Exec

The U.S. stock market posted another week of strong performance, with major large-cap indices such as the S&amp;P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq 100 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42371493/tech-stocks-rise-meta-rallies-as-court-upholds-tiktok-ban-bitcoin-roars-above-101000-whats-driving-markets-friday">extending their record highs.</a>
Technology and consumer discretionary sectors led the gains, driven by several mega-cap tech giants – Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) – hitting new peaks.
In November, the U.S. labor market showed robust signs of recovery, with nonfarm payrolls rising by 227,000, up sharply from an upwardly revised 36,000 in October and above expectations of 220,000. The unemployment rate inched up to 4.2%, as expected, while average hourly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42363278/us-economy-adds-227000-jobs-in-november-wage-growth-accelerates">earnings slightly exceeded forecasts.</a>
The University of Michigan&#8217;s consumer sentiment index revealed the most favorable overall conditions in seven months, bolstered by a significant rise in the current economic conditions subindex. Yet, the survey also highlighted growing concerns over inflation, with short-term inflation expectations rising. A relevant share of consumers reported advancing purchases of durable goods due to fears of accelerating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42366245/consumer-sentiment-hits-7-month-high-but-inflation-fears-divide-democrats-republicans">inflation in the future.</a>
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) dominated economic and financial headlines, surging above $100,000 for the first time ever on Wednesday.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What You Might Have Missed</h2>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Stellantis CEO Departs</h3>
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>)' Carlos Tavares exited, intensifying market concerns after a 50% value drop in 2024. Leadership uncertainty now threatens recovery, with analysts warning of escalating challenges in a highly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42273230/stellantis-market-value-halves-in-2024-why-ceo-tavares-exit-could-take-things-from-bad-to-worse">competitive automotive industry landscape.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin Caution Advised</h3>
A veteran trader urged caution on aggressive Bitcoin and equity longs amid rising market volatility. The warning highlights the importance of prudent risk management and strategic positioning in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42359217/veteran-trader-warns-against-aggressive-long-positions-on-bitcoin-equities-amid-market-volatility">an unpredictable cryptocurrency landscape.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top Santa Stocks</h3>
There are 10 S&amp;P 500 stocks that historically excel in December's second half. These consistent performers leverage the Santa Rally effect, presenting investors with strong year-end opportunities <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42352997/santa-rally-here-are-10-sp-500-stocks-that-historically-outperformed-in-decembers-second-half">for potential portfolio growth.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prominent Trader Drops Tesla Short</h3>
A prominent trader exited his Tesla (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) short position, citing a shift in fundamentals and Elon Musk's evolving relationship with President-elect Donald Trump. Tesla shares are up 41% year-to-date, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42311290/trader-danny-moses-says-he-is-no-longer-shorting-tesla">with analysts growing bullish.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Powell On Bitcoin</h3>
Fed Chair Jerome Powell likened Bitcoin to gold, describing it as virtual and digital. His remarks underline Bitcoin's growing status as a speculative asset and a store of value in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42325788/fed-chair-powell-bitcoin-is-like-gold-just-virtual-and-digital">the evolving financial ecosystem.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42368380/economists-react">Strong November Jobs Report Could Signal Slower Interest Rate Cuts Ahead, Experts Say</a></li>
</ul>
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Stock Markets Extends Record Highs, US Labor Market Recovers, Bitcoin Hits $100,000: This Week In The Markets

Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) shares are trading higher Friday after the company announced that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42357174/lucid-kicks-off-gravity-suv-production-to-take-on-teslas-model-x">commenced production of its second vehicle</a>, the Gravity SUV.
What To Know: On social media, Lucid Group posted a video of CEO Peter Rawlinson driving the Gravity SUV within the factory. Lucid described the start of production as a significant milestone and noted the efforts of its team in bringing the vehicle to market.
Lucid recently began taking orders for the Gravity, starting with the Grand Touring trim priced at $94,900. Production for the lower-priced Touring trim, starting at $79,900, is scheduled to begin in late 2025. The Gravity is positioned to compete directly with Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Model X, which is similarly priced at $79,990 for the base model and $94,990 for the premium Plaid trim.
According to Rawlinson, the Gravity enters a market six times larger than Lucid's first vehicle, the Air sedan. Rawlinson has stated that the SUV is designed to offer a more traditional three-row SUV experience compared to the Model X, which he described as &#8220;car-like.&#8221;
Lucid has also indicated plans to produce a midsized platform priced at approximately $48,000 by late 2026, targeting Tesla's mass-market offerings, the Model 3 and Model Y. Despite these expansion efforts, Lucid continues to operate at a loss. The company reported an adjusted loss of 28 cents per share for the third quarter of 2024.
Lucid shares have declined nearly 50% year-to-date. Analysts have given the stock a consensus "Neutral" rating, with price targets ranging from $2 to $12. The average price target from recent analyst ratings stands at $3.33, implying a potential 59% upside from current levels.
LCID Price Action: Lucid Group shares were up 7.89% at $2.255 at the time of writing, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro.</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://benzinga.slack.com/archives/D072651PB4K/p1733167806337199"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="557" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06141953/LCID-1024x557.png" alt="" class="wp-image-681229" style="width:507px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06141953/LCID-1024x557.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06141953/LCID-300x163.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06141953/LCID-768x417.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06141953/LCID.png 1089w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42371493/tech-stocks-rise-meta-rallies-as-court-upholds-tiktok-ban-bitcoin-roars-above-101000-whats-driving-markets-friday">Tech Stocks Rise; Meta Rallies As Court Upholds Tiktok Ban; Bitcoin Roars Above $101,000: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Friday?</a></li>
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Lucid Group Shares Are On The Rise Today: What You Need To Know

EV charging stocks hit the brakes in November, down 21% over the past month, trailing both broader market indices and the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/electric-vehicles">EV sector average</a>. 
Yet, JPMorgan analyst Bill Peterson sees a bright spot in EVgo Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVGO#NASDAQ">EVGO</a>), which continues to pull ahead of peers despite the industry&#8217;s sluggish growth.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EV Deployments: Running On Fumes</h2>
The U.S. EV market saw marginal progress last month, with EV penetration inching up to 8.8%. Total charging installations grew 1.5% month-over-month, but this represented a slowdown from October's 4.4% gain. Level 2 chargers lagged with just a 1.1% increase, while DC Fast chargers showed stronger momentum, rising 3.6%. 
Still, the overall growth trajectory hints at persistent headwinds, particularly for commercial and fleet-charging deployments.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42137466/evgo-powers-on-despite-trump-shake-up-analyst-projects-16-us-bev-penetration-by-2030">EVgo Powers On Despite Trump Shake-Up: Analyst Projects 16% US Battery EV Penetration By 2030</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EVgo Powers Ahead</h2>
Amid the challenges, EVgo has emerged as a standout performer. The company added 780 DC Fast ports year-to-date and is on track to meet its 800-port target for 2024. EVgo's stock has soared 72% YTD, fueled by its $1 billion Department of Energy loan, which provides a competitive edge through improved operating leverage.
In contrast, ChargePoint Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHPT#NYSE">CHPT</a>) has struggled, down 50% YTD. Peterson notes that while ChargePoint's cost-cutting measures are positive, the company's unclear path to profitability casts a shadow over its prospects.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tesla's Supercharger Dominance Intact</h2>
Tesla Inc's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Supercharger network remains the leader, holding 56.2% of the fast-charging market share despite trimming investments. 
Electrify America and EVgo maintain smaller shares, at 9.1% and 7.2%, respectively, but EVgo's consistent growth and expanding customer base signal a shift in dynamics.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EVgo's Playbook For Success</h2>
Peterson is bullish on EVgo. He cites its ability to capitalize on higher utilization rates, extended charging sessions from rideshare users, and customer acquisition—including Tesla drivers. 
Even if EV sales slow due to policy uncertainties, EVgo's scaling strategy positions it well to weather the storm.
For EVgo, the future looks electrifying. For the rest of the sector, the road ahead remains uncertain.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42250648/plug-power-evgo-among-jpmorgans-top-sustainable-picks-for-2025">Plug Power, EVgo Among JPMorgan&#8217;s Top Sustainable Picks For 2025</a></li>
</ul>
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EVgo Surges With $1 Billion Boost As ChargePoint Stumbles In Tough Market

The S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 are set to log their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">third consecutive week of gains</a>. 
The Nasdaq 100, in particular, is tracking its strongest weekly performance in a month, underscoring investor enthusiasm for tech stocks and the growing likelihood <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/interest-rates">of lower interest rates.</a>
Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is on course to finish the week in negative territory, highlighting a divergence in performance among major U.S. indices.
Shares of Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) surged 3% on Wednesday, extending their weekly gain to over 9%, marking the stock's best week since late January. The rally followed a U.S. appeals court decision upholding the Jan. 19 deadline for TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app over national security and data privacy concerns. TikTok's appeal was rejected, leaving the U.S. Supreme Court as its final recourse.
The consumer discretionary sector emerged as Friday's best performer, fueled by further gains in Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>).
In macro news, November nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000, beating consensus estimates, while the unemployment rate edged higher to 4.2%, as expected. Wage growth slightly outpaced forecasts, signaling <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42363278/us-economy-adds-227000-jobs-in-november-wage-growth-accelerates">resilience in the labor market.</a>
Meanwhile, the University of Michigan&#8217;s consumer sentiment index climbed to its most optimistic level since April but hinted at growing concerns about near-term inflation, reflecting a mixed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42366245/consumer-sentiment-hits-7-month-high-but-inflation-fears-divide-democrats-republicans">sentiment among U.S. consumers.</a>
The U.S. dollar gained traction, with the dollar index rising 0.3% despite market participants raised expectations of an interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve's Dec. 18 meeting. Treasury yields eased, reflecting bolstered expectations of policy easing.
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee hinted at upcoming Federal Reserve meetings being "close calls" between cutting rates or holding steady, keeping traders on edge.
Commodities saw muted moves on Friday. Gold prices were flat, consolidating near recent levels, while crude oil slid 1.2%. 
The cryptocurrency market lit up on Friday, driven by significant gains in major digital assets. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), for example, surged over 4%, breaching the $101,500 level at last check Friday. 
Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) rallied 6%, reflecting robust investor appetite across the sector.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,600.05</td>
<td>0.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,405.74</td>
<td>0.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,089.46</td>
<td>0.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,674.60</td>
<td>-0.2%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:15 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent120224&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) inched 0.3% up to $608.20.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;eased 0.2% to $447.87.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.9% to $526.50.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.4% to $239.03.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) outperformed, rising 1.3%; the&nbsp;Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) lagged, down 1.3%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) skyrocketed by about 18% in reaction to company&#8217;s quarterly results. </li>
<li>Other stocks reacting to earnings reports included Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPE#NYSE">HPE</a>), up 10%, DocuSign Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCU#NASDAQ">DOCU</a>), up 27%, Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>), up 10%, Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VEEV#NYSE">VEEV</a>) up 8% and Samsara Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IOT#NYSE">IOT</a>), down over 5%. </li>
<li>UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) fell 4.4%, continuing to slid after Brian Thomson&#8217;s death and marking the Dow&#8217;s worst performer on Friday. </li>
</ul>
Now Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42369266/meta-reddit-stocks-climb-record-highs-as-tiktoks-battle-against-us-ban-continues-after-court-ruling">TikTok Loses Court Appeal Against Ban, Meta, Reddit Stocks Hit All-Time High</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Mid Cap

Sector ETFs

Social Media

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Commodities

Econ #s

ETFs

$ETH

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

DOCU

LULU

ULTA

VEEV

Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary

Tech Stocks Rise; Meta Rallies As Court Upholds Tiktok Ban; Bitcoin Roars Above $101,000: What's Driving Markets Friday?

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/06/24</td>
<td>$375.00</td>
<td>$33.0K</td>
<td>19.0K</td>
<td>144.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$27.9K</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/06/24</td>
<td>$205.00</td>
<td>$25.6K</td>
<td>8.6K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>EXPE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/13/24</td>
<td>$182.50</td>
<td>$37.4K</td>
<td>49</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BBWI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$37.50</td>
<td>$109.1K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td>648</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LULU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$62.7K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td>298</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$59.0K</td>
<td>495</td>
<td>284</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GAP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$24.00</td>
<td>$65.4K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>275</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BROS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$227.9K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>108</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$25.8K</td>
<td>323</td>
<td>80</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 301 contract(s) at a $375.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.0K, with a price of $110.0 per contract. There were 19032 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 144650 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 378 day(s) on December 19, 2025. Parties traded 14 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.9K, with a price of $1997.0 per contract. There were 5133 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2669 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 13 contract(s) at a $205.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.6K, with a price of $1975.0 per contract. There were 8625 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1584 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For EXPE (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXPE#NASDAQ">EXPE</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 7 day(s) on December 13, 2024. This event was a transfer of 986 contract(s) at a $182.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.4K, with a price of $38.0 per contract. There were 49 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1202 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BBWI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BBWI#NYSE">BBWI</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 42 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 642 contract(s) at a $37.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 52 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $109.1K, with a price of $170.0 per contract. There were 2598 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 648 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding LULU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 42 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.7K, with a price of $6274.0 per contract. There were 1426 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 298 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 77 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $59.0K, with a price of $296.0 per contract. There were 495 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 284 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GAP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GAP#NYSE">GAP</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 42 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 264 contract(s) at a $24.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $65.4K, with a price of $248.0 per contract. There were 4085 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 275 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BROS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BROS#NYSE">BROS</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 42 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 107 contract(s) at a $35.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $227.9K, with a price of $2130.0 per contract. There were 1043 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 108 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding FL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FL#NYSE">FL</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 196 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $20.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.8K, with a price of $517.0 per contract. There were 323 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 80 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

BABA

BBWI

BROS

EXPE

SBUX

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Macro Notification

General

RIVN

WKHS

Trump Transition Team Weighing Plan To Cancel Postal Service's EV Supply Contracts With Oshkosh, Ford; Effort To Unwind Postal Service EV Contracts Would Be Part Of A Broader Executive Order On EVs

Move <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/05/32235029/elon-musks-fellow-paypal-mafia-member-reid-hoffman-takes-aim-at-his-less-well-intentioned-efforts">over &#8216;PayPal Mafia</a>.&#8217; 
What Happened: Fourteen Silicon Valley savvy ex-Google employees with an artificial intelligence-first mindset are leading some of the most <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">cutting-edge startups</a>. Together, these startups boast a jaw-dropping valuation of $71.61 billion, according to research by writerbuddy.ai. 
The companies — which observers dubbed the &#8216;Google Mafia&#8217; — collectively raised $14.7 billion in funding as of October. They include:
<ul>
<li>San Francisco-based Anthropic, co-founded by former Googler Dario Amodei; boasts a $40 billion valuation and $9.7 billion in funding.</li>
<li>Perplexity, co-founded by former Google intern Aravind Srinivas, is also in San Francisco and has an $8 billion valuation.</li>
<li>Mistral AI, co-founded by Arthur Mensch, who left Google DeepMind in May 2023; this Paris-based company now has a $6.2 billion valuation.</li>
</ul>
From San Francisco to Paris, the Google Mafia's influence stretches far and wide, dominating the AI sector in scale and ambition
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42358400/elon-musks-xai-raises-6b-for-the-2nd-time-this-year-as-it-looks-to-take-the-challenge-to-openai-google-and-jeff-bezos-backed-anthropic">Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI Raises $6B For The 2nd Time This Year As It Looks To Take The Challenge To OpenAI, Google And Jeff Bezos-Backed Anthropic</a>
Why It Matters: The broader AI landscape accumulated $52.8 billion in total funding, divvied up across the top 50 AI companies. That&#8217;s a 600% surge, compared to 2020. California-based companies amassed $47.9 billion worth of that funding.
Unsurprisingly, 67% of these investments—$35.5 billion—are funneled into AI Infrastructure and Models, the backbone of next-gen AI advancements.
Much like the PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PYPL#NASDAQ">PYPL</a>) Mafia gave us Tesla Inc, LinkedIn, and YouTube, the Google Mafia is reshaping the AI landscape with innovation and capital. 
With investment soaring and ex-Google visionaries leading the charge, it&#8217;s evident that the AI revolution is here to stay.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42084064/perplexity-ceo-asks-if-ai-startup-should-acquire-google-chrome-following-dojs-antitrust-push-against-search-giant">Perplexity CEO Asks If AI Startup Should Acquire Google Chrome Following DOJ&#8217;s Antitrust Push Against Search Giant</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

GOOGL

PYPL

Google Mafia Dominates Tech's New AI Frontier As Alphabet Alumni Raise $15B

<ul>
<li>ACHR</li>
<li>TSLA</li>
<li>MSTR</li>
<li>SOUN</li>
<li>NVDA</li>
<li>ULTA</li>
<li>COIN</li>
<li>AMC</li>
<li>HOOD</li>
<li>$BTC</li>
</ul>
Data from <a href="https://swaggystocks.com/dashboard/wallstreetbets/ticker-sentiment">https://swaggystocks.com/dashboard/wallstreetbets/ticker-sentiment</a>
&nbsp;

ACHR

COIN

HOOD

MSTR

NVDA

SOUN

Top 10 Trending Stocks On WallStreetBets As Of December 6, 2024 (Via Swaggy Stocks)

On Friday, U.S. ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) and Chinese Robotaxi company WeRide&nbsp;Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WRD#NASDAQ">WRD</a>) announced the launch of their ride-hailing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/12/b42358254/uber-and-weride-launch-autonomous-mobility-service-in-abu-dhabi" rel="noreferrer noopener">partnership&nbsp;in Abu Dhabi</a>.
The launch represents the first time autonomous vehicles (AVs) are available on the Uber platform outside the U.S. and the largest commercial robotaxi service outside the U.S. and China.
UAE national transport company Tawasul Transport will act as the fleet operator.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42344006/intel-interim-co-chief-expects-ceo-to-have-foundry-experience-stands-by-forecast" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intel Interim Co-Chief Expects CEO To Have Foundry Background, Stands By Forecast</a>
Now, Uber riders in Abu Dhabi requesting UberX or Uber Comfort can qualify for a WeRide AV ride.
The service will be available in key areas between Saadiyat Island and Yas Island and routes to and from Zayed International Airport. The plan is to expand the operating territory in the future.
At the initial launch, each AV will have a safety operator present to ensure a secure and reliable experience, targeting a fully driverless commercial service planned for later in 2025.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06050751/newplot-5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-680249" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06050751/newplot-5.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06050751/newplot-5-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
In July 2023, WeRide bagged UAE&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/09/41022424/uber-teams-with-weride-for-uae-robotaxi-rollout-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">exclusive national license</a>, which permits the testing and operation of its autonomous vehicles on public roads throughout the country.
According to CIC forecasts, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42096308/werides-robotaxi-and-partnerships-are-key-growth-drivers-for-global-expansion-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">global autonomous driving market</a> has the potential to grow at an 80% compound annual growth rate from $93 billion in 2025 to $1.745 trillion by 2030. The market has a growth potential of 85% CAGR for China, reaching $639 billion by 2030.
in other recent robotaxi initiatives, on Thursday, Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Waymo <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42348287/whats-going-on-with-uber-shares-thursday" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced plans to</a> launch its commercial robotaxi service in Miami in 2026.
Earlier this week, Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42263396/baidu-takes-on-tesla-testing-self-driving-tech-in-hong-kongs-streets" rel="noreferrer noopener">won Hong Kong&#8217;s first</a> autonomous vehicle test license under new 2024 legislation.
Reportedly, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42159490/elon-musks-tesla-hunts-top-talent-to-develop-software-for-robotaxi-optimus-robot-teleoperation-2" rel="noreferrer noopener">is aggressively hiring</a> software engineers to boost its teleoperation&nbsp;capabilities for robotaxis.
Price Actions: At the last check on Friday, UBER stock was up 1.18% to $65.96 in the premarket session, while WRD was up 5.89%.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42336825/nvidia-could-become-taiwan-semis-3rd-us-plant-customer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia Could Become Taiwan Semi&#8217;s Third US Plant Customer, But With A Catch</a></li>
</ul>

BIDU

GOOG

UBER

Uber And WeRide Partner For Robotaxi Service In Abu Dhabi

Customers of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41873064/tesla-rival-rivian-reports-steep-loss-of-about-40k-per-ev-in-q3-as-deliveries-hit-lowest-since-q1-2023">EV maker</a> Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) are so satisfied with their vehicles that a whopping majority would prefer to buy them again, as per a recent survey. 
What Happened: Consumer Reports conducted <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/most-and-least-liked-car-brands-a1291429338/">surveys</a> to zero in on Rivian to be at the top of its car brand satisfaction list.
Rivian, which makes the R1T electric truck and the R1S electric SUV, is on the top of the list for the second straight year with 86% of owners saying they would buy it again. 
Other auto brands in the top five list include BMW, Tesla, Porsche, and Lexus. Jeep, Mercedes Benz, and Volkswagen received the poorest ratings in the survey with only about 50% of owners saying they are likely to purchase the brand again. 
Rivian tops customer satisfaction in specific areas such as comfort, usability, and ownership cost. In driving, however, Porsche satisfied its customers the most.
Consumer Reports&#8217; surveys covered over 300,000 vehicles mostly from 2022 to 2024 model years and a few 2025 models.
Why It Matters: Rivian started delivering its vehicles to customers only in late 2021. The company delivers few vehicles every quarter especially when compared to EV giant Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>).
Rivian produced 13,157 vehicles in the third quarter and delivered 10,018 vehicles.&nbsp;For the whole year, Rivian intends to deliver <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41839837/rivian-says-it-is-on-track-for-2024-delivery-targets-despite-production-challenges">50,500 to 52,000 vehicles</a>. 
The company is looking to expand its total addressable market with the R2 SUV expected to be priced around $45,000, in the same price range as Tesla&#8217;s best-selling Model Y SUV. R2 is expected to enter production in early 2026.
The company is also planning to start deliveries of its<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37552684/rivian-almost-catches-up-to-teslas-ev-lineup-with-new-r2-r3-but-theres-no-cybertruck-fighter-yet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;R3 crossover after the R2.</a>&nbsp;The crossover is expected to be priced lower than the R2 SUV but it is unclear whether the R3&#8217;s price will undercut the Tesla Model 3 or remain within the same range.
Both of Rivian&#8217;s current offerings- the R1T and R1S- start at around $70,000. 
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42358228/ford-ev-sales-surge-in-november-on-strong-mustang-mach-e-sales-despite-drop-in-lightning-ev-pickup-popularity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ford EV Sales Surge In November On Strong Mustang Mach-E Sales Despite Drop In Lightning EV Pickup Popularity</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

More Than Tesla, Rivian Customers Are Most Likely To Return To The Brand, Survey Shows

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) founder Jeff Bezos and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk, two of the world&#8217;s wealthiest individuals, continue to chart distinctly different paths in their approaches to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42335531/jeff-bezos-counters-elon-musk-led-doge-cost-cutting-plan-says-america-needs-growth-orientation-heres-what-the-amazon-founder-said-to-tackle-national-debt">America&#8217;s economic challenges and business leadership</a>.
What Happened: At the recent New York Times DealBook Summit, Bezos advocated for addressing the national debt crisis through economic expansion rather than austerity measures. 
Amazon founder&#8217;s proposal centers on achieving 3-5% annual GDP growth while managing debt growth, contrasting with Musk&#8217;s emphasis on federal spending reduction through the upcoming Department of Government Efficiency under President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s administration.
Their economic philosophies mirror their different paths to success. Since Amazon&#8217;s 1994 founding in a Bellevue garage, Bezos has built what became known as &#8220;the everything store,&#8221; transforming from an online bookstore into a global retail and technology powerhouse. 
Amazon&#8217;s stock has delivered staggering returns of 244,955% since its 1997 IPO at $18 per share, with current market capitalization reaching $2.319 trillion.
Musk, who joined Tesla in 2004 and became CEO in 2008, has led the electric vehicle manufacturer to significant growth, though at a different scale. 
Since Tesla&#8217;s 2010 IPO at $17 per share, the EV maker has generated returns of 28,766%, achieving a market capitalization of $1.186 trillion. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/earnings">company&#8217;s annual revenue</a> of $97.2 billion, while substantial, trails <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMZN/earnings">Amazon&#8217;s $620.1 billion</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42356725/alex-karp-supports-doge-as-trump-taps-palantirs-shyam-shankar-for-border-security-role-cannot-have-a-better-person-than-musk">Alex Karp Supports DOGE, As Trump Taps Palantir&#8217;s Shyam Shankar For Border Security Role: &#8216;Cannot Have A Better Person Than Musk&#8217;</a>
Their rivalry extends beyond business metrics. Recent tensions surfaced when <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/11/42120619/jeff-bezos-denies-elon-musks-allegation-that-he-told-people-to-sell-tesla-stock-100-not-true">Musk accused Bezos</a> of privately urging investors to divest from Tesla and SpaceX stocks, allegations Bezos denied. 
The competition has also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/24/09/40697380/bezos-vs-musk-battle-heads-to-space-how-amazon-founder-is-taking-tesla-ceo-on-more-directly">spread to space exploration</a>, where Musk&#8217;s SpaceX pursues Mars colonization while Bezos&#8217;s Blue Origin focuses on suborbital flight and space habitation projects.
The billionaires&#8217; wealth reflects their companies&#8217; success, with Musk leading the Bloomberg Billionaire Index at $362 billion, followed by Bezos at $240 billion. Despite their different approaches, both have transformed their respective industries while maintaining significant influence in American business and technology sectors.
Current market <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>, shows Amazon trading at $220.55 with a price-earnings ratio of 47.27, while Tesla trades at $369 with a P/E ratio of 101.31. Amazon&#8217;s year-to-date gains stand at 47.10%, comparable to Tesla&#8217;s 48.74%.
Musk has secured a position in the incoming Trump administration. Bezos, on the other hand, has expressed optimism about potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/12/42331420/jeff-bezos-optimistic-about-trumps-second-term-wants-to-help-streamline-rules-we-do-have-too-many-regulations-in-this-country">regulatory reductions under Trump&#8217;s leadership</a>. He has also emphasized his return to Amazon&#8217;s regular operations, particularly in enabling AI, after stepping down as CEO in 2021.
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Image made via photos on Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

As Jeff Bezos And Elon Musk Clash Over Economic Solutions, Amazon And Tesla's Shareholder Returns Highlight Stark Contrasts — Here's How Both Companies Stack Up

Days after investment bank Roth MKM upgraded its rating on the Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) stock from &#8220;neutral&#8221; to &#8220;buy,&#8221; other analysts have hiked price targets.
What Happened: Bank of America Securities on Thursday raised Tesla&#8217;s price target from $350 to $400 while maintaining a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating.
BofA Securities Senior Automotive Analyst John Murphy said in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e00PxSSMnHw">appearance</a> on CNBC that he recently visited Tesla&#8217;s gigafactory in Texas and took a test ride using the company&#8217;s full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance software version 13.2.
&#8220;It was incredibly good through some very challenging scenarios. That was incredibly impressive,&#8221; Murphy said about the ride.
The analyst is now looking forward to Tesla launching a low-cost EV next year and developing its humanoid robot called Optimus while simultaneously improving its FSD technology towards vehicle autonomy. 
Why It Matters: Roth MKM&nbsp;analyst&nbsp;Craig Irwin, who was bearish on Tesla for a long time,&nbsp;on Monday <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42285783/tesla-bear-craig-irwin-turns-bullish-increases-price-target-from-85-to-380">raised&nbsp;the EV company&#8217;s price target</a> by 347% from $85 to $380 and upgraded the rating to a "buy" from "neutral."
"I don't see very many negative catalysts… There are abundant positive catalysts… Bias is now to the upside, not the downside. The market cap may be huge… but they are doing big things,&#8221; Irwin then said. 
Guggenheim, meanwhile, on Thursday raised the target price on Tesla from $156 to $175 while maintaining a &#8220;sell&#8221; rating.
Overall, analysts have a consensus rating of &#8220;Buy&#8221; on the Tesla stock, with the highest price target being $411. The most recent analyst ratings by&nbsp;Guggenheim, B of A Securities, and Roth MKM&nbsp;have an average price target of $318.33, implying a 13.8% downside.
Price Action: Tesla shares closed up 3.2% at $369.49 on Thursday. The stock is up by nearly 49% year-to-date, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="473" height="354" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-680218" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings.jpg 473w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/06043838/Tesla-stock-ratings-300x225.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px" /></a></figure>
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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Photo courtesy: Unsplash

Price Target

TSLA Stock Sees Multiple Price Target Hikes Days After Long-Time Bear Turned Bullish

Elon Musk-led <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/xai">artificial intelligence (AI) startup</a> xAI disclosed on Thursday that it has raised $6 billion, with nearly 97 investors participating in the fundraising round.
What Happened: xAI's latest fundraise comes at a time when the AI startup is looking to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42336741/elon-musks-xai-to-expand-colossus-supercomputer-tenfold-challenging-google-openai-and-jeff-bezos-backed-anthropic">expand the footprint</a> of its Colossus supercomputer tenfold – from its existing cluster of 100,000 Nvidia graphics processing units, or GPUs, xAI intends to increase it to more than a million.
In its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC,) xAI disclosed that investors bought equity for a minimum of $77,593.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
It's not clear what the AI startup is valued at after this round of funding, but previous reports suggested that the Musk-led company was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42022077/elon-musks-xai-seeks-6b-at-50b-valuation-to-acquire-100k-nvidia-chips-for-memphis-data-center">aiming to double its valuation</a> from $24 billion. This move is aimed at closing the gap with competitors such as Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) subsidiary Google, OpenAI, and Jeff Bezos-backed Anthropic.
Reports suggest that xAI has already commenced the expansion of its Colossus supercomputer in its Memphis facility.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42309656/amazon-unleashes-powerful-ai-chip-clusters-to-supercharge-anthropics-models-while-challenging-nvidia-and-openais-dominance?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeff Bezos&#8217; Amazon Unveils Powerful AI Chip Clusters To Supercharge Anthropic&#8217;s Models, Challenging Nvidia And OpenAI's Dominance</a>
Why It Matters: xAI has raised $12 billion so far this year – the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/39025708/elon-musk-cheers-funding-after-xai-secures-6b-from-sequoia-andreessen-horowitz-saudi-prince-alwaleed">first instance was in May</a> and the funding round included prominent investors such as&nbsp;Andreessen Horowitz,&nbsp;Sequoia Capital,&nbsp;Fidelity Management &amp; Research Company,&nbsp;Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and Kingdom Holding.
While xAI has not disclosed the list of investors in the new funding round, some of the prominent investors from the previous round were expected to participate, according <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/elon-musks-startup-xai-valued-at-50-billion-in-new-funding-round-7e3669dc">to</a> a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The relationship between xAI and&nbsp;Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)&nbsp;is also important. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/40932786/tesla-bull-explains-why-elon-musks-xai-is-critical-to-ev-makers-autonomous-ambition">Morgan Stanley analyst</a>, the AI capabilities developed by xAI are crucial for Tesla&#8217;s future in robotics, autonomy, and manufacturing.
Musk has continued to remain vocal in his criticism of rival OpenAI, led by Sam Altman. He <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42257564/musk-goes-to-court-to-block-openais-for-profit-transition">filed for an injunction</a> on Dec. 1 to prevent OpenAI from transitioning to a for-profit entity.
xAI's fundraising comes two months after Microsoft Corp.-backed (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">OpenAI raised $6.6 billion</a> at a valuation of $157 billion.
While xAI is a private company, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/42180383/want-to-invest-in-spacex-and-xai-cathie-woods-ark-venture-fund-brings-musks-private-companies-to-your-portfolio">investors can now use</a> Cathie Wood's ARK Venture Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKVX#NASDAQ">ARKVX</a>) to benefit from the growth of Musk-led AI company.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Startups

ARKVX

MSFT

Elon Musk's xAI Raises $6B For The 2nd Time This Year As It Looks To Take The Challenge To OpenAI, Google And Jeff Bezos-Backed Anthropic

Venture capital powerhouse Marc Andreessen has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42206297/amid-elon-musks-push-for-drones-and-ai-for-combat-transformation-analyst-pierre-ferragu-says-shift-the-defense-budget-in-favor-of-startups">emerged as a crucial figure in recruiting talent</a> for President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s new Department of Government Efficiency. 
What Happened: Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, is actively involved in identifying and interviewing candidates for DOGE, which will be co-chaired by Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1f14799f-69a1-41cb-bf7f-6f16f9ad4a8b">reported</a> the Financial Times on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
While holding no official position, Andreessen is leveraging his extensive network to attract high-level candidates to the initiative, which aims to cut annual $6.5 trillion in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41927289/trump-appoints-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-to-lead-doge-targeting-bureaucracy-and-65-trillion-federal-spending-we-will-not-go-gently">spending from the federal budget</a>.
The billionaire venture capitalist has existing ties to Musk <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37582116/elon-musk-says-xai-will-open-source-grok-throws-shade-at-openai-by-calling-it-a-lie">through significant investments</a> in xAI and SpaceX, as well as backing Musk&#8217;s $44 billion acquisition of X (formerly Twitter). Andreessen&#8217;s involvement follows his surprising July endorsement of Trump, breaking with Silicon Valley&#8217;s traditionally Democratic leanings.
Andreessen Horowitz did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42356192/tim-cook-breaks-silence-on-defying-steve-jobs-design-philosophy-with-the-iphone-16s-camera-button-vision-pro-sales-airpods-disrupting-hearing-aids-and-whether-hell-lead-apple-into-the-next-era">Tim Cook Explains Why Apple Defied Steve Jobs&#8217; Design Philosophy With the iPhone 16&#8217;s Camera Button, Touches On Retirement Plans: &#8216;I&#8217;ll Do It Until…&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: DOGE&#8217;s recruitment efforts became public in November when the department&#8217;s X account called for &#8220;super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries&#8221; willing to work extensive hours on cost reduction initiatives. The report indicates that Andreessen is focusing on senior-level recruitment rather than reviewing general applications.
Other notable <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42253427/elon-musks-doge-dream-team-from-marc-andreessen-to-ubers-travis-kalanick-silicon-valley-titans-join-forces-to-overhaul-federal-spending">tech figures reportedly involved in DOGE include</a> former Uber Technologies Inc. CEO Travis Kalanick, Andreessen Horowitz&#8217;s general partner Sriram Krishnan, and private equity executive Antonio Gracias.
Andreessen&#8217;s role in DOGE comes amid his recent observations about artificial intelligence development plateauing due to data and computational limitations, adding another dimension to the initiative&#8217;s potential focus on technological <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41932289/ai-capabilities-plateauing-say-andreessen-horowitz-founders-echoing-concerns-of-openai-co-founder-ilya-sutskever">solutions for government efficiency</a>.
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</ul>
Marc Andreessen Elon Musk &#x7C; Photos courtesy: Wikimedia and Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Marc Andreessen Emerges As Trump And Musk's Talent Scout For DOGE Cost Cutting Mission: Report

EV startup Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) said on Thursday that it has commenced production of its second offering &#8211; the Gravity SUV &#8211; at its factory in Arizona.
What Happened: &#8220;Today marks an exciting landmark for our company. Production of the Lucid Gravity is now underway at our factory in Arizona!​,&#8221; Lucid said in a post on social media platform X.
The post was accompanied by a short video of Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson driving the vehicle in the factory. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Today marks an exciting landmark for our company. Production of the Lucid Gravity is now underway at our factory in Arizona!​ This milestone is a celebration of the hard work by our passionate and dedicated team to bring this groundbreaking SUV to life. Its combination of space… <a href="https://t.co/ItJsOL3H3Y">pic.twitter.com/ItJsOL3H3Y</a>
&mdash; Lucid Motors (@LucidMotors) <a href="https://twitter.com/LucidMotors/status/1864778105879224524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Lucid <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41838253/lucid-rises-nearly-5-in-pre-market-after-strong-q3-results-opening-orders-for-gravity-suv">started taking orders</a> for Gravity last month. Orders are now being taken for the Grand Touring trim of the SUV starting from $94,900. Production of the lower-priced Touring trim of the vehicle, starting at $79,900, will start only in late 2025, the company previously said.
Lucid, which entered the EV market with its premium Air sedan, is looking to expand its total addressable market with the Gravity. Rawlinson previously said that with Gravity, the company has now entered a &#8220;market that&#8217;s about 6 times larger than our addressable market last year with Air.&#8221;
Why It Matters: The Gravity is expected to rival Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Model X SUV which starts at $79,990 for the base version and at $94,990 for the more premium Plaid version.
During Lucid&#8217;s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38663810/lucid-ceo-throws-down-the-gauntlet-with-48k-ev-plan-to-take-on-teslas-dominance-wait-until-our-midsi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">first-quarter earnings call in May</a>, the CEO said that Gravity has a "significant opportunity" that the Model X did not capture. While the Model X is a bit car-like, the Gravity is a proper three-row SUV and is on track to become the "world's best SUV," he said.
Lucid is also looking forward to starting production of a high-volume midsized platform priced at around $48,000 in late 2026 as a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39135581/youtuber-mkbhd-praises-lucid-air-sapphire-if-it-couldnt-be-a-tesla-it-would-have-to-be-this" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">direct competitor&nbsp;</a>to Tesla&#8217;s mass-market offerings Model 3 and Model Y.
The company, however, is yet to make a profit. For the third quarter, the EV company reported an adjusted quarterly loss of 28 cents per share. 
Price Action: Lucid shares closed down by about 0.5% on Tuesday at $2.09. The stock is down by nearly 50% year-to-date, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Overall, analysts have a consensus rating of &#8220;Neutral&#8221; on Lucid stock, with the highest price target being $12 and the lowest being $2. The most recent analyst ratings by RBC Capital, RF Lafferty, and Cantor Fitzgerald have an average price target of $3.33, implying a 59% upside.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Lucid

Lucid Kicks Off Gravity SUV Production To Take On Tesla's Model X

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) CEO Alex Karp expressed strong support for The Department of Government Efficiency and Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk during a Fox News interview on Thursday, highlighting the growing intersection of technology and government reform.
What Happened: &#8220;I wholeheartedly support DOGE, and you cannot have a better person than Musk,&#8221; Karp <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6365598855112">stated</a>, aligning with DOGE co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy&#8216;s efforts for government reform. 
The company&#8217;s political influence continues to expand, with recent reports suggesting that Palantir&#8217;s Chief Technology Officer, Shyam Sankar, is reportedly being considered for the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42331892/trump-eyes-shyam-sankar-for-pentagon-role-while-palantir-gains-from-border-crisis-contracts-analyst-says-this-is-a-win-for-the-stock">Pentagon&#8217;s top research and engineering position</a> under President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s administration.
This development comes as Palantir&#8217;s market value reached $159 billion, surpassing traditional defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp.
The tech <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/11/41865349/future-vice-president-jd-vance-has-a-powerful-silicon-valley-backer">giant&#8217;s influence extends through its founder</a> Peter Thiel&#8216;s strong ties to both Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42355879/federal-judge-rejects-boeings-plea-deal-in-737-max-fraud-case-cites-concerns-over-diversity-policies-and-monitor-selection">Federal Judge Rejects Boeing&#8217;s Plea Deal In 737 Max Fraud Case, Cites Concerns Over Diversity Policies And Monitor Selection</a>
Why It Matters: These connections, coupled with Palantir&#8217;s recent partnership with Amazon Web Services to provide Anthropic&#8217;s Claude AI models to U.S. intelligence agencies, underscore the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41871055/jeff-bezos-backed-anthropic-ai-startup-to-partner-with-palantir-and-aws-for-us-defense-following-meta-and-microsoft">growing political and technological clout</a>.
Wedbush Securities Managing Director Dan Ives has identified Palantir as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42307179/salesforce-palantir-and-oracle-spearhead-an-ai-revolution-says-wedbushs-dan-ives-a-renaissance-of-growth">frontrunner in enterprise AI transformation</a>, calling it &#8220;the biggest tech trend in the last 40 to 50 years.&#8221; 
During the interview, Karp emphasized the company&#8217;s AI capabilities: &#8220;We&#8217;ve managed our model in AI so that it actually delivers value—on the battlefield, to bring soldiers home, to kill enemies, or commercially, to change margins.&#8221;
The company&#8217;s expansion in government contracts and AI partnerships has driven significant growth, with its stock surging 93% since its inclusion in the S&amp;P 500 in September.
Price Action: Palantir stock closed at $71.87 on Thursday, up 2.89% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock increased by 0.30%. Year to date, Palantir&#8217;s stock has surged by 333.47%.
According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings">data from Benzinga Pro</a>, Palantir has a consensus price target of $30.22, based on 18 analysts. The highest target is $75, and the lowest is $7.50. The recent ratings from BofA, Wedbush, and Goldman Sachs suggest an average target of $63.67, implying an 11.68% downside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/05223955/Screenshot-2024-12-06-at-9.09.14%E2%80%AFAM-1024x373.png" alt="" class="wp-image-679882" /></figure>
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Palantir CEO Alex Karp. Photo by WEF on Flickr
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PLTR

Alex Karp Supports DOGE, As Trump Taps Palantir's Shyam Shankar For Border Security Role: 'Cannot Have A Better Person Than Musk'

On Thursday, major U.S. indices closed in the red, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.5% to 44,765.71, the S&amp;P 500 declining nearly 0.2% to 6,075.11, and the tech-focused Nasdaq dropping 1.25% to 2,396.17.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day.
GameStop Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) shares surged by 5.92% to $28.63. The stock traded within the range of $30.87 to $26.15 over the day. The 52-week high and low prices for GameStop are $64.83 and $9.95, respectively.
GameStop&#8217;s stock soared after Roaring Kitty a.k.a Keith Gill <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42349100/gamestop-rockets-as-roaring-kitty-returns-to-x-what-does-his-tweet-signal-ahead-of-q3-earnings">returned to social media</a>. His previous return this year led to a surge in meme stock shares. The latest tweet from his X account has the financial world abuzz, with the potential to influence stock prices once again.
Lululemon Athletica Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) reported a 0.74% increase, closing at $344.81. The stock&#8217;s intraday high and low were $351.38 and $340.69, respectively. Lululemon&#8217;s 52-week high and low prices stand at $516.37 and $226.19.
Lululemon&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/buybacks/24/12/42352166/lululemon-q3-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-1b-buyback-increase-continued-momentum-across-international-markets">third-quarter earnings</a> and revenue surpassed expectations. The company&#8217;s total revenue increased by 9% year-over-year, with a 4% rise in total comparable sales. The international market also saw a significant 33% year-over-year revenue jump.
Uber Technologies, Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) shares dropped by 9.60% to $65.23. The stock&#8217;s intraday high and low were $72.03 and $64.28, respectively. Uber&#8217;s 52-week high and low prices are $87 and $54.84.
Uber&#8217;s stock took a hit following reports of Alphabet Inc.-owned Waymo&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42348287/whats-going-on-with-uber-shares-thursday">plans to launch</a> in Miami in 2026. This news could pose a significant challenge to Uber&#8217;s market share in the ride-hailing industry.
Ulta Beauty Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>) experienced a 1.74% decline, closing at $392.87. The stock&#8217;s intraday high and low were $403.62 and $392.07, respectively. Ulta Beauty&#8217;s 52-week high and low prices are $574.76 and $318.17.
Ulta Beauty&#8217;s third-quarter results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42351981/ulta-beauty-shares-climb-on-better-than-expected-q3-results-raised-fy24-sales-outlook">surpassed expectations</a>, with quarterly earnings per share at $5.14 and revenue at $2.53 billion. The company also raised its full-year sales outlook, reflecting confidence in its continued growth trajectory.
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) saw a 3.23% increase, closing at $369.49. The stock&#8217;s intraday high and low were $375.43 and $359.50, respectively. Tesla&#8217;s 52-week high and low prices are $375.43 and $138.80.
Tesla&#8217;s stock surged after Bank of America <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42344440/teslas-path-to-400-bank-of-america-highlights-ev-ai-growth">raised its 12-month price target</a> on the stock from $350 to $400. The investment bank cited the company&#8217;s improving growth prospects as the reason behind the price hike.
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading&nbsp;<a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/%E2%80%9CPremarket">with top premarket movers and news</a>&nbsp;by Benzinga.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42311290/trader-danny-moses-says-he-is-no-longer-shorting-tesla?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;Big Short&#8217; Trader Danny Moses Gives Up On Shorting Tesla, Says It Is &#8216;Very Difficult To Short A Name That Is Not Trading On Fundamentals&#8217;</a></li>
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This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Gamestop, Lululemon, Uber, Ulta Beauty And Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Wall Street experienced subdued trading on Thursday morning, with major indices remaining near the flatline as investors awaited further confirmation of potential interest rate cuts from the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42346164/november-jobs-report-preview-will-it-seal-the-deal-for-a-fed-interest-rate-cut">upcoming November jobs report.</a>
The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 edged up by 0.1%, extending their record-high levels, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3%. Small-cap stocks underperformed, with the Russell 2000 declining 0.8%.
Airline stocks emerged as a standout industry, buoyed by American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>), which surged by a staggering 16% after the company raised its quarterly growth forecast on robust travel demand. 
Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) gained 5%, while Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) climbed 4.3%. The broader sector, tracked by the U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JETS#NYSE">JETS</a>), advanced 4%, reaching levels unseen since June 2021.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) added more than 3%, touching highs last seen in March 2022 after Bank of America raised its 12-month price target on the stock from $350 to $400, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42344440/teslas-path-to-400-bank-of-america-highlights-ev-ai-growth">citing improving growth prospects.</a>
The U.S. dollar softened by 0.4%, while Treasury yields held steady, with little movement across the curve.
Gold dropped 0.9%, while copper and silver retreated 0.4% and 0.7%, respectively, reflecting broader weakness in metals.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) was up 2.4% to trade around $101,000. The leading cryptocurrency briefly touched $103,650 by 10:00 a.m. ET before retreating slightly amid high volatility.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-day %chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>6,090.78</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>21,497.32</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>44,829.20</td>
<td>-0.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,407.36</td>
<td>-0.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:45 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent120224&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:
<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) inched 0.1% up to $608.06.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;eased 0.3% to $449.43.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) inched 0.1% up to $523.76.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) fell 0.8% to $239.12.</li>
<li>The&nbsp;Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) outperformed, rising 1%; the&nbsp;Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLB#NYSE">XLB</a>) lagged, down 1.5%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Synopsys Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNPS#NASDAQ">SNPS</a>) fell over 11% in reaction to the company&#8217;s latest earnings report. </li>
<li>Other stocks reacting to earnings included SentinelOne Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/S#NYSE">S</a>), down 10.3%, PVH Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PVH#NYSE">PVH</a>), down 0.7%, Five Below Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVE#NASDAQ">FIVE</a>), up 12%, Kroeger Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KR#NYSE">KR</a>), up 1.3%, and Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DG#NYSE">DG</a>), down 3%. </li>
<li>Companies slated to report their earnings after the close are DocuSign Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCU#NASDAQ">DOCU</a>), Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ULTA#NASDAQ">ULTA</a>), Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>), Veeva Systems Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VEEV#NYSE">VEEV</a>), Samsara Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IOT#NYSE">IOT</a>), and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPE#NYSE">HPE</a>). </li>
</ul>
Read Next:
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Photo: Shutterstock

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