$Tesla Motors(TSLA)$  $TSLA VERTICAL 250328 CALL 245.0/CALL 255.0$

No news is good news they say. It has been downhill since the high of $488. I am short again from last night. 

Let's look at recent activity by Cathie Wood and insider sales. 

ARKK ETFs

Date: Ongoing, with notable net sales since Q3 2024

Details:

Net sales of ~900,000 shares across ARK ETFs since Q3 2024 earnings (October 2024), per X posts and commentary. Specific March 2025 sales aren’t detailed daily, but Tesla has been a frequent rebalancing target.

Insider Sales of Tesla Stock as of March 20, 2025

Recent Insider Sales

James R. Murdoch (Director)

Date: March 10, 2025

Shares Sold: 54,776

Value: $13,189,403

Murdoch, a Tesla board member and confidant of Elon Musk, sold this significant block during a historic single-day plunge in Tesla’s stock price. Posts on X and reports highlight this as part of a broader trend of insider unloading, raising eyebrows given his proximity to Musk.

Robyn Denholm (Chairwoman)

Date: Early March 2025 (specific date around March 6)

Shares Sold: Approximately 148,000 (based on $33.7 million at $227/share, near the March 6 price)

Value: $33.7 million

Denholm has been a prolific seller, offloading over $200 million in Tesla stock over the past 12 months. Her latest sale in early March aligns with a pattern of liquidating shares, with X posts noting she’s “selling like it’s going out of style.” This follows earlier sales, like $50 million in late 2024, suggesting a steady exit strategy.

Vaibhav Taneja (CFO)

Date: Recent months, including early 2025 (specific dates not pinpointed beyond late 2024)

Shares Sold: Multiple transactions, including a notable $718,111 sale in the last 90 days

Value: Part of $153.6 million in total insider sales over 90 days (per InsiderScreener)

Taneja’s sales are smaller but frequent, often under planned 10b5-1 trading plans, indicating premeditated moves rather than panic. His activity contributes to the broader insider selling narrative.

Kimball Musk (Director, Elon Musk’s Brother)

Date: Late 2024 into early 2025 (exact 2025 dates unclear)

Shares Sold: Not specified individually, but part of recent insider wave

Value: Included in aggregate insider sales figures

Kimball’s sales, alongside other insiders, fuel speculation on X that Tesla’s inner circle sees “the beginning of the pain,” especially as sales slump globally (e.g., -49% in China, -70% in Germany in February).

Kathleen Wilson-Thompson (Director)

Date: December 9, 2024

Shares Sold: Approximately 88,000 (based on $35.2 million at $400/share, near December peak)

Value: $35.2 million

While just outside 2025, this sale near Tesla’s peak underscores insiders cashing out before the steep decline, a trend possibly extending into early 2025.

Aggregate Insider Selling

Last 90 Days (as of March 19, 2025): Insiders sold shares worth $153.6 million, per InsiderScreener, with a net value of -$28.3 million after accounting for minor buys. This reflects heavy selling pressure, primarily from directors and officers.

Past 12 Months: Denholm alone accounts for over $200 million, with total insider sales likely exceeding $300 million when including Murdoch, Taneja, and others.