Tesla Gains Market Share in France and Norway
Institutional investors and professional traders rely on The Fly to keep up-to-the-second on breaking news in the electric vehicle and clean energy space, as well as which stocks in these sectors that the best analysts on Wall Street are saying to buy and sell.From the hotly-debated high-flier Tesla, Wall Street's newest darling Rivian, traditional-stalwarts turned EV-upstarts GMand Fordto the numerous SPAC-deal makers that have come public in this red-hot space, The Fly has you covered with "Charged," a weekly recap of the top stories and expert calls in the sector.Clickto check out Tesla's recent Media Buzz Sentiment as measured by TipRanks.MARKET SHARE:In February, Tesla gained market share in France and Norway, signaling stabilization in Europe after two years of declining sales, Reuters. The automaker's registrations rose 55% in France and 32% in Norway but fell 18% in Denmark.MOVING TO THE SIDELINES:HSBC downgraded First Solarto Hold from Buy with a price target of $211, down from $280, after the company reported Q4 results below consensus and gave lower-than-expected FY26 guidance that suggests "cooling demand and operational challenges." In the short-term, upside to valuation looks limited as the firm thinks supportive U.S. policies have "largely played out," while the firm sees a long-term competition overhang from Tesla, the firm tells investors.Freedom Capital also downgraded First Solar to Hold from Buy with a price target of $250, down from $310. The company's Q4 results missed estimates, and it issued "weak" 2026 guidance, the firm tells investors in a research note. Freedom says uncertainty remains elevated in the utility-Additionally, Deutsche Bank downgraded First Solar to Hold from Buy with a price target of $245, down from $300, following "disappointing" Q4 results and a "weak" 2026 outlook. The firm notes challenging conditions in the market, tariffs impacting the movement of volumes from India to the U.S. and overall portfolio changes with the onshoring of the finishing line.SOFT GUIDANCE:Deutsche Bank downgraded Array Technologiesto Hold from Buy with a price target of $9, down from $11, following the company's Q4 report. The 2026 outlook, while including a topline in-line with the Street forecast at $1.45B, featured softer-than-expected adjusted EBITDA and a soft margin profile, the firm tells investors.RESULTS:Lucidreported Q4 losses per share of ($3.62) vs consensus of ($2.67), and said it sees 2026 production 25,000-27,000 vehicles.Following quarterly results, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard lowered the firm's price target on Lucid Group to $14 from $21, while keeping a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm cited lower production, guidance, persistent high negative gross margin, additional capital needs, a worsening macro environment, and tariff uncertainty. Cantor expects Gravity to lead sales in its FY26 delivery estimate of 23,185 vehicles delivered, with Airs to remain relatively flat year over year.DELIVERIES:Nioannounced its February 2026 delivery results. The company delivered 20,797 vehicles in February 2026, representing an increase of 57.6% year-over-year. The deliveries consisted of 15,159 vehicles from the company's premium smart electric vehicle brand Nio, 2,981 vehicles from the company's family-oriented smart electric vehicle brand ONVO, and 2,657 vehicles from the company's small smart high-end electric car brand FIREFLY. Cumulative deliveries reached 1,045,571 as of February 28, 2026.Li Autoannounced that it delivered 26,421 vehicles in February 2026. As of February 28, 2026, Li Auto's cumulative deliveries reached 1,594,304. Li Auto officially rolled out OTA update version 8.3 ahead of the Chinese Spring Festival, featuring upgrades in three areas: VLA Driver large model, smart cockpit and smart electric functionality. As of February 28, 2026, the Company had 539 retail stores in 160 cities, 548 servicing centers and Li Auto-authorized servicing shops operating in 223 cities. The Company also had 4,054 super charging stations in operation equipped with 22,447 charging stalls in China.XPeng (XEPV) announced its vehicle delivery results for February 2026. Xpeng a total of 15,256 vehicles in February. Also in February, Xpeng began global deliveries of the new Xpeng P7+, with the initial shipment bound for 18 countries.
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Charlie Munger Exits BYD Before Sales Decline
- Significant Investment Return: Charlie Munger invested $230 million in BYD in 2008 for a 10% stake, marking it as a successful investment for Berkshire Hathaway; however, the firm began exiting its position in 2022 and fully sold its stake by Q3 2025, just before a sales decline.
- Sales Decline Raises Concerns: According to Trung Phan on social media, BYD's sales dropped in the first two months of 2026, raising widespread market concern, particularly from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who expressed worries about the trend.
- Market Sensitivity: Munger noted in an interview that he had never made a better investment at Berkshire than BYD, highlighting the company's influence in the EV market, yet the sales decline could impact its future market performance.
- Strategic Exit Timing: Berkshire's exit coincided with BYD's sales drop, indicating investors' sensitivity to market dynamics and risk aversion, which may affect other investors' confidence and market expectations.
Investors Flock to Stock Split Trends Amid AI Hype
- Stock Split Attraction: Amid the AI hype, investors are increasingly gravitating towards stock splits, particularly forward splits, as they make shares more affordable, thereby attracting more retail investors to participate.
- Booking Holdings Forward Split: Booking Holdings announced a historic 25-for-1 forward split, reducing its share price from $4,250.26 to approximately $170, significantly enhancing retail investor participation and supporting the company's ongoing growth in the travel market.
- Lucid Group Reverse Split: Lucid Group completed a 1-for-10 reverse split, which raised its share price from nearly $2 to almost $20, yet failed to improve its operational performance, facing ongoing financial pressures and declining market demand.
- Market Performance Discrepancy: Companies that execute forward splits typically outperform the S&P 500 in the 12 months following the split, while Lucid's reverse split has not attracted investors, reflecting a pessimistic outlook on its future prospects.
Booking Holdings Announces 25-for-1 Stock Split Amid Market Trends
- Stock Split Announcement: Booking Holdings has approved a historic 25-for-1 stock split, reducing its share price from $4,250.26 to approximately $170, which is expected to enhance retail investor participation and improve market liquidity.
- Market Performance Insight: Despite economic fluctuations, Booking's strong performance in European and Asian markets has allowed it to maintain high-single-digit to low-double-digit sales growth, demonstrating its competitive edge and solid market share in the global travel sector.
- Technological Innovation Strategy: The company is leveraging generative AI for personalized travel recommendations and is encouraging customers to bundle hotels, car rentals, and attractions through its Connected Trip strategy, aiming to expand market share and enhance customer experience.
- Attractive Valuation: Following a nearly 30% pullback, Booking's valuation has become more appealing, with its forecasted P/E ratio for 2027 expected to be below 14 times, representing a 41% discount to its average P/E ratio over the past five years, attracting investor interest.
Meta Secures AI Patent for Digital Afterlife, Sparking Debate
- AI Digital Afterlife Patent: Meta has secured a patent in December 2025 for a large language model designed to simulate user online activity, utilizing past posts, likes, and comments, potentially including audio or video data, to keep user profiles active after death, although the company has no current plans to deploy this technology.
- Social Reactions and Criticism: Cyberpsychologist Elaine Kasket and sociologist Sherry Turkle have expressed concerns that this concept reframes death as a platform issue, potentially complicating the grieving process and creating a 'perpetual fantasy life' that disrupts emotional experiences for users.
- Technical Background and Market Trends: Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth has previously noted that inactivity after death affects user experience, which partly informed the patent's rationale, while similar technological attempts date back to 2017 when Microsoft applied for a chatbot patent based on personal data.
- Global Patent Dynamics: As AI rapidly evolves, the reliance on patents is shifting, with Mark Cuban arguing that companies may increasingly depend on trade secrets instead of patents, especially as China has become the world's largest source of patent applications, accounting for 27% of global filings, while the U.S. share has declined to 20%.
Nvidia Invests $4 Billion to Advance AI Infrastructure
- Major Investment: Nvidia has announced a $4 billion investment in optical networking companies to support R&D and future capacity expansion for AI infrastructure, demonstrating its strong commitment to the AI sector.
- Partnership Agreements: The agreements with Lumentum and Coherent include multibillion-dollar purchase commitments, ensuring supply for future laser and optical networking components, which reduces expansion risks and enhances data transfer efficiency in data centers.
- 6G Strategic Initiative: Nvidia is partnering with telecom and technology firms to advance AI-native 6G network designs, planning to build future wireless systems around software-based architectures that enhance network intelligence and update capabilities.
- Market Reaction: Despite Nvidia's strong earnings failing to prevent declines in semiconductor and tech stocks, shares of Lumentum and Coherent rose significantly, with Lumentum climbing 11% and Coherent reaching a record high following the announcement.
Polymarket May Go Public in 2026 Amid Prediction Market Boom
- Prediction Market Surge: With prediction markets currently in high demand, Polymarket is contemplating an IPO in 2026 to capitalize on this trend, which could significantly enhance its funding and market presence if successful.
- Intensifying Competition: Companies like DraftKings and Robinhood are also expanding into prediction markets, indicating a growing competitive landscape, which necessitates Polymarket to carve out a unique position to maintain its competitive edge.
- Investor Caution: Despite the promising outlook for prediction markets, historical examples like Rivian and Lucid show that many companies experience significant stock price declines post-IPO, prompting investors to carefully weigh the potential risks and rewards of investing in Polymarket.
- Market Opportunity Window: Should Polymarket proceed with an IPO in 2026, it must act swiftly to avoid missing the current market enthusiasm; however, investors may prefer to wait until the hype subsides before considering an investment to mitigate risks.
Charlie Munger Exits BYD Before Sales Decline
- Significant Investment Return: Charlie Munger invested $230 million in BYD in 2008 for a 10% stake, marking it as a successful investment for Berkshire Hathaway; however, the firm began exiting its position in 2022 and fully sold its stake by Q3 2025, just before a sales decline.
- Sales Decline Raises Concerns: According to Trung Phan on social media, BYD's sales dropped in the first two months of 2026, raising widespread market concern, particularly from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who expressed worries about the trend.
- Market Sensitivity: Munger noted in an interview that he had never made a better investment at Berkshire than BYD, highlighting the company's influence in the EV market, yet the sales decline could impact its future market performance.
- Strategic Exit Timing: Berkshire's exit coincided with BYD's sales drop, indicating investors' sensitivity to market dynamics and risk aversion, which may affect other investors' confidence and market expectations.
Investors Flock to Stock Split Trends Amid AI Hype
- Stock Split Attraction: Amid the AI hype, investors are increasingly gravitating towards stock splits, particularly forward splits, as they make shares more affordable, thereby attracting more retail investors to participate.
- Booking Holdings Forward Split: Booking Holdings announced a historic 25-for-1 forward split, reducing its share price from $4,250.26 to approximately $170, significantly enhancing retail investor participation and supporting the company's ongoing growth in the travel market.
- Lucid Group Reverse Split: Lucid Group completed a 1-for-10 reverse split, which raised its share price from nearly $2 to almost $20, yet failed to improve its operational performance, facing ongoing financial pressures and declining market demand.
- Market Performance Discrepancy: Companies that execute forward splits typically outperform the S&P 500 in the 12 months following the split, while Lucid's reverse split has not attracted investors, reflecting a pessimistic outlook on its future prospects.
Booking Holdings Announces 25-for-1 Stock Split Amid Market Trends
- Stock Split Announcement: Booking Holdings has approved a historic 25-for-1 stock split, reducing its share price from $4,250.26 to approximately $170, which is expected to enhance retail investor participation and improve market liquidity.
- Market Performance Insight: Despite economic fluctuations, Booking's strong performance in European and Asian markets has allowed it to maintain high-single-digit to low-double-digit sales growth, demonstrating its competitive edge and solid market share in the global travel sector.
- Technological Innovation Strategy: The company is leveraging generative AI for personalized travel recommendations and is encouraging customers to bundle hotels, car rentals, and attractions through its Connected Trip strategy, aiming to expand market share and enhance customer experience.
- Attractive Valuation: Following a nearly 30% pullback, Booking's valuation has become more appealing, with its forecasted P/E ratio for 2027 expected to be below 14 times, representing a 41% discount to its average P/E ratio over the past five years, attracting investor interest.
Meta Secures AI Patent for Digital Afterlife, Sparking Debate
- AI Digital Afterlife Patent: Meta has secured a patent in December 2025 for a large language model designed to simulate user online activity, utilizing past posts, likes, and comments, potentially including audio or video data, to keep user profiles active after death, although the company has no current plans to deploy this technology.
- Social Reactions and Criticism: Cyberpsychologist Elaine Kasket and sociologist Sherry Turkle have expressed concerns that this concept reframes death as a platform issue, potentially complicating the grieving process and creating a 'perpetual fantasy life' that disrupts emotional experiences for users.
- Technical Background and Market Trends: Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth has previously noted that inactivity after death affects user experience, which partly informed the patent's rationale, while similar technological attempts date back to 2017 when Microsoft applied for a chatbot patent based on personal data.
- Global Patent Dynamics: As AI rapidly evolves, the reliance on patents is shifting, with Mark Cuban arguing that companies may increasingly depend on trade secrets instead of patents, especially as China has become the world's largest source of patent applications, accounting for 27% of global filings, while the U.S. share has declined to 20%.
Nvidia Invests $4 Billion to Advance AI Infrastructure
- Major Investment: Nvidia has announced a $4 billion investment in optical networking companies to support R&D and future capacity expansion for AI infrastructure, demonstrating its strong commitment to the AI sector.
- Partnership Agreements: The agreements with Lumentum and Coherent include multibillion-dollar purchase commitments, ensuring supply for future laser and optical networking components, which reduces expansion risks and enhances data transfer efficiency in data centers.
- 6G Strategic Initiative: Nvidia is partnering with telecom and technology firms to advance AI-native 6G network designs, planning to build future wireless systems around software-based architectures that enhance network intelligence and update capabilities.
- Market Reaction: Despite Nvidia's strong earnings failing to prevent declines in semiconductor and tech stocks, shares of Lumentum and Coherent rose significantly, with Lumentum climbing 11% and Coherent reaching a record high following the announcement.
Polymarket May Go Public in 2026 Amid Prediction Market Boom
- Prediction Market Surge: With prediction markets currently in high demand, Polymarket is contemplating an IPO in 2026 to capitalize on this trend, which could significantly enhance its funding and market presence if successful.
- Intensifying Competition: Companies like DraftKings and Robinhood are also expanding into prediction markets, indicating a growing competitive landscape, which necessitates Polymarket to carve out a unique position to maintain its competitive edge.
- Investor Caution: Despite the promising outlook for prediction markets, historical examples like Rivian and Lucid show that many companies experience significant stock price declines post-IPO, prompting investors to carefully weigh the potential risks and rewards of investing in Polymarket.
- Market Opportunity Window: Should Polymarket proceed with an IPO in 2026, it must act swiftly to avoid missing the current market enthusiasm; however, investors may prefer to wait until the hype subsides before considering an investment to mitigate risks.
