Oppenheimer analysts downgraded Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) to perform from outperform and removed the $436 price target.
Although the analysts have previously tried to separate the actions of Elon Musk outside of Tesla from their analysis of the company, they now believe that his involvement with Twitter makes this separation untenable.
The analysts are concerned about the potential financial impact on Tesla due to the negative sentiment on Twitter, as well as the unclear cash needs and limited options for Musk to address these needs amid the public backlash and inconsistent standards for users, including the banning of certain journalists.
Despite this, the analysts still believe that Tesla is leading the way in the development of electric vehicle and autonomous technology, and has a significant advantage in terms of materials performance and data for self-driving, which will likely continue to drive cost and performance benefits in the transportation industry.