I have a rule that I’ve stuck to for as long as I can remember: I don’t buy stocks at all-time highs. Not “usually don’t.” Not “try not to.” I don’t. No matter how good the company is, no matter how exciting the news sounds, and no matter how loudly the market is cheering.
And yes, that includes Tesla.
Before anyone accuses me of being a Tesla hater, let me clarify: I think Tesla is awesome. Tesla is ambitious, innovative, and never short on big ideas. Just recently, Elon Musk said the company is testing robotaxis that operate without human safety drivers. That’s the kind of headline that lights up timelines and makes people feel like they’re about to miss the future if they don’t buy now.
But here’s the thing: Tesla’s stock isn’t cheap.
Tesla’s 52-week range runs from $214.25 to $495.24. The stock isn’t sitting at rock bottom — it’s much closer to the top end of that range. And while it’s not exactly at an all-time high now, it’s close enough to make me uncomfortable. When prices are elevated, expectations are stretched, and I’d be paying for excitement instead of opportunity.
Tesla Motors (TSLA)
I don’t avoid all-time highs because I hate momentum. I avoid them because momentum is fragile. At high prices, everything has to go right — earnings, guidance, execution, sentiment. There’s very little room for disappointment. One hiccup, one delay, one shift in mood, and suddenly the chart looks very different.
Could Tesla keep going higher? Absolutely. It might break new highs, and people will celebrate it all over again. If that happens without me, I’m fine with that. I’d rather miss a rally than buy into peak optimism.
My approach has always been simple: I wait. I wait for pullbacks, for boredom, for moments when the excitement fades and people start questioning things again. That’s usually when prices become interesting — not when the story is already being told everywhere.
So will history repeat itself in 2026? Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing won’t change: I won’t chase Tesla just because the crowd is excited. Great companies come and go through many price cycles.
And if Tesla rockets higher tomorrow, I’ll cheer from the sidelines — popcorn in hand, rules intact, and zero regrets.
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