Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct the stock price figures.
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) stock has surged into October, following a tough first half of 2025 for the EV maker, during which shares slumped steeply while CEO Elon Musk spent time working with the Trump administration.
- TSLA stock is up 100% over the past month. See the details here.
Musk Returns
Analysts and investors alike blamed Musk's political involvement for the drop, even as Wall Street revised price targets downward due to concerns over sluggish vehicle sales and increased competition.
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However, sentiment turned sharply positive after Musk left D.C. and refocused on Tesla's core business.
The social media account Whole Mars Catalog asked if investors should be thanking the CEO for the stock’s recent stellar performance since they blamed him for its drop.
"You ever notice how whenever $TSLA is falling everyone blames Elon, but when it's mooning very few people thank him?" the account posted on X.
Musk replied with a tearful laughing emoji and a bullseye emoji.
TSLA Moons
Musk returned to a hands-on leadership role at Tesla in late May 2025, following his exit from heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
The CEO officially ended his work with DOGE and announced his renewed commitment to spending "24/7" at Tesla in a post on X on May 24, 2025.
Musk's return was met with a surge in Tesla stock, as shares climbed 22% in May, with investors responding positively to his decision to refocus on Tesla's operations and technology roadmap.
His return to Tesla also coincided with announcements about critical new products, such as the rollout of robotaxis and increased autonomy efforts.
Perhaps investors should thank Musk for leaving Washington. Since then, the stock climbed from $339.34 on May 23 to close at approximately $436 on Thursday, Oct. 2.
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