Investor's Corner
Key takeaways from Tesla’s Q3 report and Q&A with Musk
Tesla released its third quarter earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday, surprising Wall Street after posting nearly $22 million in profit in the quarter. This is in sharp contrast to previous analyst expectations polled by FactSet which expected Tesla to report a GAAP loss of 53 cents a share in the third quarter, and an adjusted loss per share of 22 cents, narrower than the adjusted loss of 58 cents a share in the year-ago period.
Estimize, which crowdsources estimates from buy-side and sell-side analysts, fund managers, hedge funds and academics, expected Tesla to report an adjusted loss per shares of 4 cents. Estimates on E-Trade were between a loss of 4 and 7 cents. Noted Tesla Analyst Ben Kallo of Baird, expected non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.72.
All in all, given all these numbers, Wall Street was basically expecting a breakeven quarter.
Revenue
Total reported Q3 GAAP revenue was $2.30 billion, up 145% from Q3 2015. Tesla matched the higher end of the expectations. Another good news for the stock.
MarketWatch, in a live blog, called it a “Tesla earnings shocker – Actual profit”. Similarly, Bloomberg was surprised and posted the headline “Tesla Posts Rare Quarterly Profit as Musk Readies for SolarCity. The Wall Street Journal landed the news on its front page with the headline “Tesla Shares Jump after Posting Best Quarterly Sales Ever.”
I believe investors and analyst expectations were so low, that the clearly huge profit numbers were a “shock” to the market. This is Tesla first profitable quarter since the third quarter of 2014, a full 2 years ago, when Tesla eked out a minuscule profit of 2 cents a share. Tesla had reported losses ever since.
Stock Reaction (after hours)
The stock ended the day regular session at $202.24, down 10c for the day. The stock is down heavily from the $267 in early April, around the time Tesla started taking reservations for the Model 3.
The initial reaction of traders was very positive, as right after the quarterly results were published, Tesla shares rose as high as $215, about 7% in after-hours trading, with very high volume.

Source: optionhouse.com
The conference call did not change much as the after-hour session closed at $212, or up about 5% so we would expect a higher opening on Thursday.
Analysts polled by TipRanks have an average rating of hold on the stock, with an average stock price target of $199.13, about even from current levels at the close. These levels may well be adjusted tomorrow on the upside 5-7%, given the huge beat on expectations.

Source: TipRanks
Conference Call Q&A Top Quotes
Besides the financial report, investors wanted to hear about future production, which they are counting on to justify the still fairly high Tesla share price.
In the Tesla Third Quarter 2016 Update letter, Tesla noted that they “achieved record production levels in Q3, raising to 25,185 vehicles for an increase of 37% from Q2, and an increase of 92% from Q3 last year.” Also, Tesla “maintained guidance of 50,000 new vehicle deliveries for the second half of 2016 […] despite the challenges of winter weather and the holiday season.”
Best Quarter Ever
At the start of the conference call Elon Musk called the “quarter the best ever,” with fourth quarter expected to be great as well, with Q4 to be profitable even including non cash stock based expenses.
Musk called it “One of the best moments in Tesla history.” Elon also addressed rumors of widespread discounting as reason for profit: called the, “absolutely false,” and pointed out that “vehicle profitability increased without ZEV credits.”
Model 3
Elon reiterates volume production for Model 3 in second half of next year. The terms that the company are getting for suppliers is much better. Model 3 production and logistics are way faster, says Musk. He also forecasts an increase in gross margin, even after big beat on that metric in the quarter just reported. As a result, Elon does say he doesn’t expect to raise more capital in Q1 2017, though he won’t rule it out.
Musk dodged a question about Model 3 deposits: “That’s not something we comment on and not something that deserves merit,” he says.
Elon listed his 3 top priorities: Model 3 production schedule, advancing autopilot software, and ramp up of 100 kWh production line. After the call, Musk will be at the 100 kWh production line as “demand is high,” he says.
SolarCity
The SolarCity deal about “cash neutral” for Tesla, Musk says. If this is indeed found to be true, it may help with the approval of the deal coming up soon for vote by the shareholders.
“It’s important to have ‘tight control’ of solar panels production in order to have a ‘beautiful’ product. Confident it would have the best product at the best price, and one that would look better as well,” Musk says.
The solar roof product that will be offered by combined Tesla-SolarCity will “look better than a normal roof” and will be aimed at new houses being built and homes where the roof needs to be replaced anyway. Musk said that “People will be surprised by the product to be unveiled on Friday. It exceeded my expectation,” he says.
Full Autonomy
Elon said that “radar is moving from supplemental to primary sensor. Vision is still the main thing, but radar can be primary so you can take action based on radar, similarly as you can take action based on vision.” Elon also called out MobilEye for “issuing bullshit” on radar vs. vision argument in autonomous driving.
According to Musk, “Teslas on Autopilot are logging 1.5 million miles per day through all kinds of road conditions and weather all across the world.”
All in all no real surprises out of the conference call, and the good thing is that the stock held steady during the call. Definitely a good day for Tesla.
Investor's Corner
Tesla and SpaceX’s biggest bull just placed a massive $1B bet on the stock
Renowned investor Ron Baron, founder and CEO of Baron Capital, has once again demonstrated his unwavering faith in Elon Musk’s ventures.
Just after SpaceX’s record-breaking IPO, Baron announced he purchased an additional $1 billion in SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) shares. This move pushes Baron Capital’s total holdings in the company to a staggering $25 billion in market value, underscoring one of the most successful private-to-public investment stories in recent history.
Baron’s relationship with SpaceX dates back to 2017, when his firm began investing approximately $1.75–2 billion through secondary markets and employee tender offers at valuations around $20–22 billion.
By the time of the IPO, which valued SpaceX at over $2 trillion with shares closing near $161, those early stakes had generated more than $13 billion in unrealized gains. Post-IPO, Baron’s position ballooned further, reflecting the company’s meteoric rise driven by reusable rocketry, Starlink’s global satellite internet constellation, Starshield defense applications, and ambitious plans for orbital infrastructure.
In a recent interview, Baron articulated his bullish outlook with characteristic enthusiasm.
Ron Baron said today that he bought $1 billion of @SpaceX IPO shares last Friday, and said that all of Baron Capital’s $SPCX holdings are now worth $25 billion.
“I think we’re going to make hundreds of billions of dollars; If you read the prospectus, you realize what they… pic.twitter.com/U8F471KtJS
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 15, 2026
“I think we’re going to make hundreds of billions of dollars,” he stated, emphasizing that SpaceX’s achievements in rocketry and satellite technology are “not possible for anyone else to accomplish.” He envisions the company as a cornerstone of humanity’s multi-planetary future, potentially reaching valuations of $10–30 trillion within 10–15 years.
Baron has repeatedly affirmed he has no plans to sell, viewing SpaceX as a “lifetime investment” alongside Tesla.
Tesla bull Ron Baron reveals $100M SpaceX investment, sees 3-5x return on TSLA
This conviction stems from SpaceX’s unparalleled execution. The company has revolutionized access to space with Falcon 9 reusability, deployed thousands of Starlink satellites, and is advancing Starship for Mars missions and point-to-point Earth transport.
Baron highlights emerging opportunities like space-based AI data centers and direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, positioning SpaceX at the forefront of a new space economy projected to generate trillions in value.
Critics may question the lofty projections amid high valuations and execution risks, but Baron’s track record speaks volumes. His Tesla holdings, initiated in the mid-2010s, have also delivered outsized returns. As one of the largest institutional holders of SpaceX pre-IPO, Baron Capital’s funds, such as Baron Partners, benefited immensely from valuation markups.
Baron’s $1 billion IPO purchase signals deep confidence in SpaceX’s post-IPO trajectory. In an era of short-term market noise, his strategy exemplifies patient capital: backing visionary leadership and transformative technology.
For investors watching the space sector, it serves as a powerful endorsement that the final frontier may indeed yield the next great wealth-creation engine. As Baron puts it, SpaceX isn’t just building rockets—it’s trying to “save humanity” by expanding our horizons beyond Earth.
Elon Musk
SpaceX (SPCX) IPO is live today at $135: Here’s exactly what you need to know
SpaceX priced its historic IPO at $135 per share today, raising a record $75 billion.
SpaceX officially priced its initial public offering at $135 per share, offering 555,555,555 shares of Class A common stock and raising $75 billion in what is the largest IPO in stock market history. Shares are set to begin trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on Friday, June 12, under the ticker symbol SPCX. The previous record holder was Saudi Aramco’s 2019 offering at $29 billion, followed by Alibaba’s $22 billion offering in 2014.
At $135 per share and roughly 555.6 million shares, the implied valuation sits near $1.75 trillion, which would make SpaceX roughly the seventh largest company in the United States, just above Tesla’s current market cap. Regular investors can request shares at the IPO price through Robinhood, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, SoFi, and E*TRADE, though the deal is heavily oversubscribed and most retail allocations will be partial or unfilled. Once trading opens June 12, anyone with a brokerage account can buy SPCX on the open market.
SpaceX’s amended S-1 is sparking a major Tesla merger conversation
The valuation is anchored primarily by Starlink. Starlink crossed 10 million subscribers as of February 2026 and is adding 750,000 to 1.5 million new users per month, with the connectivity segment already posting a $1.19 billion profit last quarter. The offering also bundles in xAI following SpaceX’s all-stock merger earlier this year, adding Grok and the Colossus supercomputer to the investment thesis. As Teslarati reported, Starlink ended 2025 with $10 billion in revenue, a figure analysts project could reach $24 billion by end of 2026.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has been vocal in his support. “I think the time is right,” Ives said, adding that the offering expands the Elon Musk ecosystem rather than competing with Tesla. An average 12-month price target of $165 per share represents roughly 22% upside from the IPO price. Not everyone agrees – Motley Fool noted xAI is spending $1 billion per month playing catch-up to OpenAI and Anthropic.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with a single stated purpose. “Elon founded SpaceX with a goal to change humanity, to make us a multi-planet species,” CFO Bret Johnsen said in the company’s retail roadshow video this week. Musk himself has been more direct: “We are building the systems and technologies necessary to provide global connectivity on Earth and beyond, to understand the true nature of the universe, and to extend the light of consciousness to the stars.”
Investor's Corner
Tesla unfolded its first European “folding Supercharger”
Tesla’s folding Supercharger just arrived in Europe and it changes how fast charging expands.
Tesla’s Folding Unit Supercharger has officially landed in Europe, with the company teasing a new installation in its effort for a broader rollout targeting major motorway rest stops across the European continent in Q3 2026. The arrival marks a notable shift in how Tesla is thinking about network expansion, moving from hardware performance alone to engineering the logistics chain itself.
While Tesla did not reveal the exact location for the new folding Supercharger in Europe, the photo shared on X heavily suggests that this maybe somewhere in Norway. Historically, whenever Tesla rolls out an entirely new infrastructure architecture in Europe, whether it was the original Supercharger stalls years ago or these brand-new modular V4 “Folding Units”, Norway is almost always the designated launch pad because of its unmatched EV adoption rate and supportive infrastructure
The Folding Unit, introduced in March 2026, is a factory pre-assembled V4 charging station built on an industrial hinge system mounted to a heavy-duty concrete base. The entire assembly arrives on site ready to unfold and connect. Tesla confirmed the units feature telescopic light poles specifically designed for easy transportation and fast on-site deployment, a detail that signals how carefully the logistics chain has been engineered alongside the hardware itself. The design allows 33% more stalls per delivery truck, cuts installation time roughly in half, and reduces overall deployment costs by more than 20% compared to traditional installations.
Tesla’s newest “Folding V4 Superchargers” are key to its most aggressive expansion yet
Tesla also noted telescopic light poles which provide benefits over traditional Supercharger installations that require fixed-height poles that are awkward to ship, slow to position on site, and often require separate crews and equipment to erect before charging hardware can even be staged. By engineering poles that compress for transit and extend on arrival, Tesla has removed one of the quieter bottlenecks in the physical deployment process. Every hour saved on a light pole installation is an hour redirected toward getting stalls energized. At scale, across dozens of new sites per quarter, those hours add up to a meaningful acceleration in how quickly a location goes from approved permit to serving its first customer.
Each Folding Unit pairs a single V4 power cabinet with eight charging posts. The V4 cabinet delivers up to 500 kW per stall for passenger vehicles and up to 1.2 MW for the Tesla Semi, supporting twice the stalls per cabinet at three times the power density of its predecessor. Longer cables make every new station immediately usable by non-Tesla vehicles, a priority as Tesla continues opening its network to Ford, GM, Rivian, Hyundai, Stellantis, and others.
As Teslarati reported when the Folding Unit was first unveiled, Tesla’s Gigafactory New York produced its final V3 Supercharger cabinet in March 2026 after more than seven years and 15,000 units, completing a full pivot to V4 production. The European arrival of the folding design is the next chapter in that transition.
Faster and cheaper deployment means Tesla can justify building in markets and corridors that were previously too expensive to serve, filling the coverage gaps that have slowed EV adoption outside major urban centers.
First Folding Unit Superchargers in Europe 🇪🇺 https://t.co/KNfYWJukkL pic.twitter.com/YR1udIpH1i
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) June 10, 2026