Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) Stock Price Up 2.6% – Here’s Why

Rivian Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ:RIVN) shares were up 2.6% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $20.58 and last traded at $20.0450. Approximately 42,007,725 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 12% from the average daily volume of 37,568,934 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.53.

Rivian Automotive News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Rivian Automotive this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Piper Sandler raised its price target to $20 (from $14) and kept a Neutral rating — this uplifts analyst sentiment and can provide short-term support for the share price. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Goldman Sachs raised its target to $18 (from $16), citing progress on the R2 product platform, AV/autonomy work and reported solid Q4 deliveries — suggests improving execution and a clearer path to future growth. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Robert Scaringe sold 17,450 shares (~$341k) on Jan. 6 — insider selling can spook investors but this was a small trim (about 1.5% of his holdings) and not an outright vote of no confidence. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and valuation write-ups are mixed (some bullish raises, some cautious/underweight views) — this creates divergent expectations that can increase intraday volatility but not a single clear catalyst. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Rivian is recalling 19,641 U.S. R1T/R1S vehicles due to an improperly reassembled rear toe link after service — recall scale raises immediate repair/warranty costs, logistical burdens and short-term reputational risk that can pressure margins and the stock. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Some analysts warn of a possible 2026 demand “air-pocket” and retain cautious/low targets — lingering macro/demand concerns could limit upside despite better execution headlines. Read More.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on RIVN shares. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Rivian Automotive in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Rivian Automotive from $12.00 to $13.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, October 6th. Baird R W upgraded shares of Rivian Automotive from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Tigress Financial raised their target price on shares of Rivian Automotive from $21.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, November 14th. Finally, Mizuho reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $10.00 price target (down previously from $14.00) on shares of Rivian Automotive in a research note on Monday, October 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eight have given a Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Hold rating and six have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $15.95.

Rivian Automotive Stock Performance

The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $17.70 and its 200 day moving average price is $14.89. The firm has a market cap of $23.56 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.18 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.71.

Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:RIVN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The electric vehicle automaker reported ($0.65) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.71) by $0.06. Rivian Automotive had a negative net margin of 61.34% and a negative return on equity of 57.33%. The company had revenue of $1.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.27 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted ($1.08) earnings per share. Rivian Automotive’s revenue was up 78.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts expect that Rivian Automotive, Inc. will post -3.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Rivian Automotive

In other news, CFO Claire Mcdonough sold 21,210 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.14, for a total transaction of $363,539.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 738,056 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $12,650,279.84. This represents a 2.79% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Peter Krawiec sold 3,655 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $19.45, for a total value of $71,089.75. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 29,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $566,422.90. The trade was a 11.15% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 155,054 shares of company stock valued at $2,733,010 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 2.16% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Rivian Automotive

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Assetmark Inc. lifted its position in Rivian Automotive by 315.6% during the 2nd quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,787 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 1,357 shares during the period. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Rivian Automotive by 113.6% during the second quarter. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,880 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Mather Group LLC. purchased a new stake in Rivian Automotive in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. acquired a new position in Rivian Automotive in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Hemington Wealth Management raised its position in Rivian Automotive by 291.0% during the 3rd quarter. Hemington Wealth Management now owns 2,123 shares of the electric vehicle automaker’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 1,580 shares during the last quarter. 66.25% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Rivian Automotive Company Profile

Rivian Automotive, Inc is an American automotive technology company specializing in the design, development and manufacture of electric vehicles. The company is best known for its all-electric R1 platform, which underpins the R1T pickup truck and R1S sport utility vehicle. In addition to consumer products, Rivian has secured a significant commercial contract to produce electric delivery vans for a leading e-commerce provider, underscoring its capability to serve both retail and fleet customers.

Founded in 2009 by engineer and entrepreneur Robert “RJ” Scaringe, Rivian has grown from a research-focused startup into a publicly traded corporation.