Tesla's Roadster Is 1 Reason Why October Could Be a Different Story for the Stock -- Barrons.com

By Kit Norton

Shares of Tesla surged in August, but investors haven't continued to push the stock meaningfully higher this month. That could change in October, with several possible catalysts on the horizon for shares of Elon Musk's electric-vehicle maker.

Top of the list is the new Tesla Roadster. The company has reopened reservations for the long-awaited new vehicle, asking consumers for a $50,000 deposit. Musk last week hyped up the Roadster ahead of its Oct. 1 launch.

The vehicle is expected, in some way, to incorporate aerospace technology. It's another SpaceX collaboration, but much of the project remains a mystery. Tesla is expected to announced pricings and specifications on Oct. 1

Tesla stock rose 2.9% to $374.70 on Monday after ending Friday down 0.5%. Shares had fallen 1% in September as of the closing bell on Friday after advancing more than 18% in August.

Along with the new Roadster reveal, Tesla reports third-quarter vehicle delivery data in early October, while earnings are due at the end of the month.

Wall Street expects Tesla to deliver 461,000 vehicles in the third quarter, down from about 497,000 a year ago, according to FactSet. Barclays analyst Dan Levy, however, forecasts 475,000 vehicle deliveries in the quarter. How much deliveries matter to investors is an open question as Musk has shifted his focus to artificial intelligence and autonomous driving.

With Tesla stock trading tightly along its 50-day moving average, around the $350 level, since Aug. 21, October is shaping up to be a significant month for shares of Musk's EV company.

Write to Kit Norton at kit.norton@barrons.com

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 21, 2026 14:39 ET (18:39 GMT)