Goldman Sachs remains cautious on Tesla stock, says valuation 'is full'

While Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) maintained a neutral rating on Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), the research firm also acknowledged the company's leadership in the clean mobility space, which includes electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage, software, and charging infrastructure.

However, it highlighted potential challenges for the company's core automotive segment.

"We expect it will face headwinds in the core auto business over the near to medium term (including slower global EV demand, and pricing pressure)," analysts led by Mark Delaney wrote in a note. 

Furthermore, the growth of Tesla's Full Self-Driving/Autonomous Vehicle (FSD/AV) business is projected to be gradual, which may affect the company's valuation in the short term, which Delaney described as "full."

Goldman Sachs also noted that Tesla's stock might continue trading at a higher multiple due to the long-term opportunities associated with FSD and robotics, driven by market interest in potential AI beneficiaries.

"We believe the prospects for Tesla’s auto business (including the growth impact from new/refreshed models planned for 2025) and progress with FSD (including the performance of v13) will help determine the valuation level the stock will trade at, and if the higher valuation multiple is sustained," Delaney added.

Tesla shares are up more than 60% year-to-date.