Stock Market Today, Feb. 17: Rivian Drops as Analysts Lift Price Targets but R2 Launch Risks Weigh
Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN), electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer producing pickup trucks, SUVs, and delivery vans, closed Tuesday at $16.47, down 7.11%. The stock slipped during the regular session despite multiple Wall Street firms lifting price targets and ratings, and investors are watching R2 launch execution and 2026 delivery growth expectations next.
Trading volume reached 55.4 million shares, coming in about 43% above compared with its three-month average of 38.7 million shares. Rivian Automotive IPO'd in 2021 and has fallen 84% since going public.
How the markets moved today
The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) edged up 0.10% to finish Tuesday at 6,843, while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) also added 0.14%, closing at 22,578. Within EV names, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) closed at $410.63 (-1.63%) and Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) finished at $9.92 (-3.5%), underscoring pressure across EV-focused peers.
What this means for investors
Following Rivian’s earnings report last week, Stifel Nicolaus, Deutsche Bank (NYSE:DB), and Cantor Fitzgerald all raised Rivian price targets to $20, $23, and $18, respectively.
Commentary noted Rivian’s recent roughly 27% stock surge after a its Q4 beat and R2 SUV launch update, but noted that the R2 is crucial for Rivian’s success.
The company reported a positive gross profit in Q4 and expects 2026 to be its first full year of positive gross profit. The R2 is crucial to that goal. Some investors worry that any slowdown in demand or risk of execution could interfere with that result.
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Howard Smith has positions in Lucid Group, Rivian Automotive, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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