After soaring following the election, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) stock ran into a wall in February as a number of news items, macro challenges, and CEO Elon Musk's involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative all seemed to contribute to a sharp pullback in the stock.

Call traders continue to target electric vehicle stock Tesla (TSLA) despite the recent struggles on the charts

What Happened? Shares of electric vehicle pioneer Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) jumped 3.3% in the pre-market session after Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas named the stock a "Top Pick," citing the potential in the autonomous vehicle market and robotics.

Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas has backed struggling electric vehicle maker Tesla (TSLA) and indicated the stock could have as much as 50%

Tesla shares rose 2% on Monday after Morgan Stanley reinstated the electric-vehicle maker as its top U.S. auto pick, saying the company's artificial intelligence and robotics efforts could power growth even as the mainstay car business stumbles.

Key Takeaways Tesla was named the "Top Pick" for U.S. auto firms by Morgan Stanley, which pointed to the EV maker's moves into AI and robotics.Morgan Stanley has an "overweight" rating and $430 price target for Tesla.