5 Things That Have Made Tesla Stock Jump Over the Years
Written by
Jacob Wade
Edited by
Levi Leidy
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Recently, Elon Musk bought shares of his own company, Tesla. While much has been made of Musk selling billions worth of Tesla shares in recent years, his recent TSLA stock purchase shows that Musk still believes in the company that made him the richest person in the world.
Tesla stock has been on a rollercoaster in recent years, broiled in controversy due to Musk’s role in politics and the perception that he’s taken his eye off the ball with Tesla. But Musk has the unique ability to make Tesla stock jump with breaking news. We’ll break down a few things that have made Tesla stock jump over the years.
Surprise Earnings Reports
In May 2013, Tesla reported a quarterly profit of $0.72 a share, which handily beat analyst expectations. This shocked investors and signaled stronger growth ahead for Tesla. The stock jumped 24% in a single day, according to Barron’s.
In late 2024, Tesla had another earnings beat that pushed the stock up 22% in one day — an amazing feat considering the stock was already valued at a market cap over $1 trillion at the time. The earnings report in Q3 of 2024 showcased over $20 billion in vehicle sales.
Product Announcements and Breakthroughs
Tesla thrives on innovation, and shareholders love it when Tesla announces breakthrough business models and services. Here are a few major announcements that caused the stock to jump over the years:
- In March of 2016, Musk announced the Model 3, an affordable electric sedan initially priced around $35,000. This caused Tesla stock to jump 7% in a single day as preorders topped 50,000 within 72 hours, according to Reuters.
- In 2024, along with an earnings beat, Musk announced on the earnings call “plans for new vehicles, including more affordable models, remain on track for start of production in the first half of 2025.”
- In June 2025, Tesla stock jumped over 8% on the limited launch of Tesla’s robotaxi (self-driving) service in Austin.
Positive Regulatory Decisions
As a pioneer in electric vehicle mass production, Tesla relies heavily on favorable regulatory decisions. For example, gaining approvals for full self-driving (FSD) technology in popular locations can unlock more growth for the company. In 2024, Tesla’s stock jumped around 12% after Musk secured preliminary approval for its FSD in China.
Also, as Tesla relies heavily on energy credits to boost the profitability of the company, earnings reports have been bolstered through the sales of billions of dollars in energy credits over the years.
Musk Moves
Investors often view insider buying (or large stock awards) as a signal of faith in the company’s future. When Musk puts real money on the line, that tends to bolster confidence in Tesla’s future growth.
- The recent $1 billion open-market purchase by Elon Musk (around 2.6 million shares) is a prime example. The stock climbed 8% immediately on the news.
- Tesla has also granted Musk massive stock awards recently — including a package that could make him the world’s first trillionaire — in recognition of ambitious long-term goals. These incentive packages calm investors and assure them that Musk will be focused on the growth of Tesla over all other responsibilities.
Musk Tweets
Elon Musk can move markets with a simple tweet. Here are a few times Musk simply sent a tweet and boosted Tesla stock prices:
- On Aug. 7, 2018, Musk tweeted, “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured.” That single tweet sent Tesla’s stock up about 11% intraday, briefly halting trading due to volatility. It also triggered a massive SEC investigation because Musk hadn’t actually secured financing for such a deal.
- The official Tesla account on X.com announced record-setting 2020 vehicle deliveries, sparking the after-hours Tesla stock price to jump around 5%.
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