Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in a good and playful mood on Thursday following the release of the company’s Q2 2020 vehicle production and delivery report. With Tesla reaching new all-time highs and breaking $1,200 per share, Musk opted to do something that he has not done in some time: he decided to do some trolling towards Tesla’s dedicated short sellers, as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Musk’s series of tweets on Thursday were varied, with the CEO responding to a Twitter user who noted that TSLA stock’s recent rise due to its Q2 results is a “tsunami of hurt” for short sellers. Musk, for his part, noted that he “tried to warn them,” before adopting a lighter tone by calling The Royal Teens’ Short Shorts a “great song.” Musk followed this up playfully remarking that “sellers of medium height or above are fine” amidst Tesla’s rally.
With burns against TSLA shorts secured, Musk then shifted his trolling towards the SEC, urging his followers to post their own interpretation of the acronym, provided that the “E” in the middle stands of “Elon’s.” This prompted equally playful responses such as “Sell Elon’s Cars” or “Savage Elon’s Contempt,” as well as more serious warnings from TSLA bulls such as Gerber Kawasaki CEO Ross Gerber, who remarked that such tweets were “dangerous.” Musk acknowledged this, but he noted that the tweets were very satisfying.
Of course, no conversation about Tesla’s short sellers with Elon Musk would be complete without literal short shorts coming into the picture. This came in the form of Musk stating that Tesla will be making “fabulous short shorts in radiant red satin with gold trim.” He also noted that Tesla would be sending some of the short shorts to the “Shortseller Enrichment Commission” to “comfort them through these difficult times.” That said, Musk noted that flame accents on the Tesla short shorts would probably be a bit too much.
Inasmuch as Elon Musk’s recent Twitter troll storm may offend Tesla’s critics, the CEO did exhibit some of his usual self-deprecating humor. This came in the form of a post reminding Musk that he himself wore short shorts back in his days at Pretoria, as evidenced by a class picture from 1983. In it, a young Musk could be seen standing amongst his classmates, proudly donning some short shorts himself. To this, Musk sheepishly admitted that ultimately, he actually likes short shorts. “Busted! I secretly (love) short shorts,” Musk wrote.
Tesla’s second quarter results, which propelled the company’s stock past the $1,200 mark on Thursday, ultimately crushed the TSLA short seller narrative that the company has a demand problem. As noted by Loup Ventures Managing Partner Gene Munster, Tesla’s Q2 deliveries highlighted the widening gap between the electric car maker and traditional automakers such as GM, FCA, and Toyota, all of which were hit hard by the ongoing pandemic.
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.