Investor's Corner
Jim Cramer calls Tesla bid a desperation move to save SolarCity
The financial markets reacted with a strong dose of negativity after Tesla announced that it is looking to acquire SolarCity in an all stock deal worth $2.8 billion. Tesla stock was down more than 10% at the end of the trading day on Wednesday. On CNBC’s Squawk Box, analyst Jim Cramer — who is a well known Tesla bear — said “The Kool-Aid tasted really good in Jonestown before it really hit ya.” He was suggesting that Musk’s gambit should be a wake up call to the Tesla faithful who think Elon walks on water and can do no wrong.
“Tesla was obviously desperate to save SolarCity,” TheStreet’s Jim Cramer said on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street. “SolarCity had an existential crisis, that last quarter was the worst I’ve ever seen,” says Cramer. “The quarter was ‘so bad’ that the analysts themselves were in open rebellion, all I can say is that SolarCity would have gone even lower if he hadn’t made this bid,” Cramer said of Musk.
ALSO SEE: Top 8 tidbits around the Tesla-SolarCity deal
RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak did acknowledge that there are a number of synergies that could help both companies, but he thinks Tesla shareholders are not going to be happy with the arrangement. “We suspect the market will be more skeptical of the strategic rational and the financial/cash flow strain this could add to the TSLA story. By owning the asset, we believe TSLA may be trying the investing partner approach they have taken with shareholders and asking them to stick with them for something they potentially didn’t sign-up for,” Spak said.
Perennial gadfly Bob Lutz was his usual cranky self. On CNBC’s Closing Bell, Lutz riffed further on the Jim Jones theme. “People finally are beginning to figure it out. They’ve drunk the Elon Musk Kool-Aid. They’ve drunk it long enough and nothing’s working,” Lutz saud. “This deal makes zero sense. It’s going to further put a huge amount of financial pressure on Tesla, which is already in financial trouble.”
The unkindest cut of all came from Bill George, a Harvard Business School professor and former chairman of Medtronic. He told Closing Bell, the SolarCity deal was a “bridge too far.” He is doubtful Tesla shareholders will go along with Musk’s plan. “I think he’s going to have a further comeuppance from his shareholders to Tesla in trying to bail out SolarCity. He says he’s an energy company. I mean, being an automobile company is tough enough,” George said.
Musk said in a hastily arranged conference call Wednesday morning that the combination of Tesla Motors and SolarCity would result in a trillion dollar company. “I have no doubt about this – zero. We should have done it sooner.” He said the idea had been discussed with major investors several times over the years. “This idea has been bandied about with some of our largest shareholders, institutional shareholders. Yeah, there have been discussions.”
Musk and his bold financial dealings often polarize investors. Some think Musk can do no wrong. Others think he is a charlatan who bamboozles people with his lofty pronouncements. The proposed purchase of SolarCity is no different. As always in the stock market, “you pays your money and you takes your choice.” No one ever forced anyone to buy shares of Tesla Motors. Most people who have are quite glad they did.
Investor's Corner
Ron Baron states Tesla and SpaceX are lifetime investments
Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Billionaire investor Ron Baron says he isn’t touching a single share of his personal Tesla holdings despite the recent selloff in the tech sector. Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Baron doubles down on Tesla
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Baron stated that he is largely unfazed by the market downturn, describing his approach during the selloff as simply “looking” for opportunities. He emphasized that Tesla remains the centerpiece of his long-term strategy, recalling that although Baron Funds once sold 30% of its Tesla position due to client pressure, he personally refused to trim any of his personal holdings.
“We sold 30% for clients. I did not sell personally a single share,” he said. Baron’s exposure highlighted this stance, stating that roughly 40% of his personal net worth is invested in Tesla alone. The legendary investor stated that he has already made about $8 billion from Tesla from an investment of $400 million when he started, and believes that figure could rise fivefold over the next decade as the company scales its technology, manufacturing, and autonomy roadmap.
A lifelong investment
Baron’s commitment extends beyond Tesla. He stated that he also holds about 25% of his personal wealth in SpaceX and another 35% in Baron mutual funds, creating a highly concentrated portfolio built around Elon Musk–led companies. During the interview, Baron revisited a decades-old promise he made to his fund’s board when he sought approval to invest in publicly traded companies.
“I told the board, ‘If you let me invest a certain amount of money, then I will promise that I won’t sell any of my stock. I will be the last person out of the stock,’” he said. “I will not sell a single share of my shares until my clients sold 100% of their shares. … And I don’t expect to sell in my lifetime Tesla or SpaceX.”
Watch Ron Baron’s CNBC interview below.
@teslarati :rotating_light: This is why you need to use off-peak rates at Tesla Superchargers! #tesla #evcharging #fyp ♬ Blue Moon – Muspace Lofi
Elon Musk
‘You chose ambition’: Tesla Chair hails shareholders for backing Elon Musk’s vision
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm has issued a letter to shareholders celebrating what she described as “overwhelming support” at this year’s Annual Meeting, framing the approval of Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay plan as a defining moment in Tesla’s mission.
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Denholm hails shareholder confidence
In her letter, which was posted by the electric vehicle maker on X through Tesla’s official handle, Denholm thanked investors for backing Proposals One, Three, and Four, items she said reaffirm Tesla’s “Master Plan Part IV” and its broader mission to accelerate sustainable prosperity. She characterized the shareholder vote as “a vote of confidence in our visionary leader, Elon,” crediting Musk with transforming Tesla into one of the most valuable companies in history.
“In a year when many tried to sow doubt and negativity, you chose a better future,” Denholm wrote. “You chose ambition. You chose to see what is possible. You chose to back the people who have been in the room since the earliest days, fighting for the mission that first brought us all together—a better world for humanity,” she wrote in her letter.
Her comments framed Musk’s pay package approval not only as a governance milestone but as a symbolic endorsement of Tesla’s long-term trajectory across autonomy, AI, and energy innovation.
“A whole new book” of innovation
Denholm highlighted Tesla’s push toward autonomy as the company’s next major growth phase, citing the Robotaxi program and Optimus humanoid robot as examples of bringing artificial intelligence “into the physical world.” She described this period as potentially “the largest value-creation event in Tesla’s history, and quite possibly in the history of humanity.”
The letter reaffirmed the board’s commitment to direct engagement with shareholders through Tesla’s online platform and live events. Denholm emphasized that feedback from investors “informs our strategy and strengthens us” as Tesla prepares for new technology rollouts and expanded AI capabilities.
“You, our shareholders, have given us the mandate and the runway to execute. We are humbled, and rest assured that we do not take that responsibility lightly… Thank you for believing in Tesla. Thank you for standing with us. We look forward to years of bold leadership and pioneering innovation, fueled by our commitment to creating a better future for all,” she wrote.
Elon Musk
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey endorses Elon Musk Tesla pay package
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey has publicly backed Elon Musk’s leadership ahead of Tesla’s pivotal shareholder vote, which is expected to be decided later today at the company’s 2025 annual meeting.
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Dorsey’s public nod framed as an engineering defense of Musk
In a post on X, Dorsey weighed in on Tesla’s post about being in a “critical inflection point.” As per the Twitter-co-founder, the vote on Musk’s 2025 performance award is not about compensation. Instead, it’s about ensuring the path for the company’s engineering in the coming years.
“This is not about compensation. it’s about ensuring a principled (and exciting!) engineering approach to the company’s future,” Dorsey wrote on his post, later stating that users of Cash app with TSLA shares would be able to vote for the CEO’s proposed 2025 performance award.
Elon Musk appreciated Dorsey’s endorsement, responding to the Twitter co-founder’s post with a heart emoji. Musk has been pretty thankful for the support for is fellow tech executives, also thanking Michael Dell recently, who also advocated for its proposed 2025 performance award.
Musk’s support
While Elon Musk’s 2025 performance award has received opposition from proxy advisors such as Glass Lewis and ISS, it has received quite a lot of support from longtime bulls such as ARK Invest, and, more recently, Schwab Asset Management following calls from TSLA retail shareholders.
“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value. We apply our own internal guidelines and do not rely on recommendations from Glass Lewis or ISS. In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved,” Charles Schwab told Teslarati.
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