Tesla stock posts first monthly gain of 2026 amid investor concerns

10 articles · Updated · Barron's · May 1

Shares rose 2.7% in April but were flat premarket at $381.69, leaving the stock down 15% year to date after declines in 13 of 17 weeks.
Investors remain wary because Tesla's robo-taxi rollout has expanded from Austin to Dallas and Houston only gradually, while the latest Optimus robot was not shown in the first quarter.
Concerns are compounded by spending plans of $25 billion on plants and equipment this year, with Wall Street expecting $9 billion in cash use after about $6 billion in free cash flow in 2025.

With Tesla's massive robotics bet and mounting cash burn, could rivals overtake its lead in autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots before 2027?

Will Tesla's pivot away from EVs toward robots and robo-taxis pay off, or is the company risking its future on unproven physical AI technology?