Tesla at $382.70: Motley Fool says hold, not sell

The author's argument rests on a personal investing lesson: selling a winner too soon can cost more than holding through volatility. He sold Meta in 2021 after its pandemic-era spike and later watched it soar on AI investments, including the recent launch of its Muse AI app, which garnered 2 million daily users. That experience shapes his stance on Tesla.

Tesla's own AI pivot is central to the case for holding. The company launched an autonomous ride-hailing business with the Cybercab on Sept. 3, and by a month later more than 300 of these vehicles were serving Austin, Texas — an eightfold increase. Famed Wall Street analyst Dan Ives said Tesla should not be evaluated as a car company, calling it 'one of the clearest ways to own physical AI in the public markets.'

The author also points to Tesla's core EV business: Q2 electric auto sales rose 23% year over year to $20.5 billion, while rival Ford saw a 56% drop in Q2 EV revenue to $1 billion. With Q3 delivery numbers beating estimates, the author sees more growth ahead and plans to hold his shares.