Investor's Corner
Tesla bull weighs in on Delaware Court decision against Musk’s TSLA comp plan
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) bull and Wedbush Securities Senior Equity Research Analyst Dan Ives has weighed in on the Delaware Court decision that rescinds Elon Musk’s 2018 compensation plan, which was approved by about 80% of TSLA shareholders at the time. A legal complaint against Musk’s pay package was filed in 2018 by Richard Tornetta, a thrash metal drummer and car enthusiast who held nine shares at the time.
Reactions to the Delaware Court’s decision have been significant among Tesla shareholders. CEO Elon Musk has responded to the decision on X by stating, “Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware.” He also posted a poll on X asking the social media platform’s users if Tesla should change its state of incorporation to Texas. As of writing, 90% of the poll’s respondents have answered “Yes,” with over 281k votes counted.
Should Tesla change its state of incorporation to Texas, home of its physical headquarters?— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 31, 2024
The Wedbush analyst, for his part, admitted that the Delaware Court’s decision had been a jaw-dropper. The analyst noted that the Tesla Board would likely fight back against the court’s decision and perhaps even use this opportunity to come up with a new, updated compensation plan for the CEO. By doing so, Tesla could ensure that Musk stays on board. Ives shared his sentiments in a segment at CNBC’s Last Call.
“The biggest asset in Tesla is Musk. Musk is Tesla, Tesla is Musk. Now, obviously, this is a jaw-dropper that came down in Delaware. I think the Board would ultimately go back to the drawing board and come out with a comp package that could supersede this and maybe get Musk to… 25% voting interest. It’s a pivotal time for Tesla, and the Board is not gonna take this sitting down. This is something they’re gonna fight, and I think it could actually be an ‘aha’ moment for Musk and the Board,” Ives said.
The Delaware decision against @elonmusk and @Tesla is a jaw dropper in our view and we would expect the Board to fight back and take this opportunity to give Musk a new and game changing comp package to secure his future at Tesla with AI front and center @CNBC @LastCallCNBC ?? https://t.co/H2Z5obACiQ— Dan Ives (@DivesTech) January 31, 2024
While the Delaware Court’s decision opened with a passage describing Musk as the world’s wealthiest person, it should be noted that the CEO was far from the world’s richest when his 2018 pay package at Tesla was proposed and approved. At the time, Tesla had a valuation of less than $60 billion, and the compensation plan, which called for Tesla to grow into a company with a market cap of $650 billion, seemed almost laughable.
Quite ironically, the Delaware Court’s decision pointed to the idea that its decision was made in the best interests of Tesla shareholders, many of whom have seen their holdings in the electric vehicle maker grow over 10x since Musk’s compensation plan was approved in 2018. Though as of writing, at least, the celebrations in social media are mostly from the company’s short-sellers, who are betting against the company.
The Delaware Court’s decision on Elon Musk’s 2018 compensation plan can be viewed below.
Elon Musk 2018 Comp Plan Delaware Court Decision by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
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Elon Musk
Elon Musk strikes down reports on SpaceX IPO rumors
Elon Musk has firmly denied recent media reports suggesting that SpaceX has reduced its target valuation for an upcoming initial public offering.
The denial came directly from the SpaceX and Tesla frontman on his social media platform X, where he responded with a single word, “False,” to a post from ZeroHedge that cited Bloomberg sources.
This swift rebuttal underscores Musk’s ongoing effort to manage speculation surrounding one of the most anticipated market debuts in recent history.
False
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2026
According to the disputed reports, SpaceX had lowered its IPO valuation goal to at least $1.8 trillion from previous ambitions exceeding $2 trillion.
The claims emerged amid growing anticipation for the company’s confidential S-1 filing, which positions it for a potential public listing as early as June.
Some had pointed to strong revenue growth, particularly from the Starlink satellite internet service, which contributed heavily to the firm’s 2025 figures of $18.7 billion. Yet challenges persist in other areas, including substantial investments and losses tied to ambitious projects like Starship development and artificial intelligence initiatives, which plan to make life multiplanetary eventually.
Musk’s response highlights a pattern in which he actively counters what he views as inaccurate portrayals of his companies’ trajectories.
SpaceX, already valued privately at extraordinary levels, stands as a cornerstone of Musk’s empire alongside Tesla and xAI. The entrepreneur has long emphasized the transformative potential of reusable rockets and global broadband access, factors that fuel investor enthusiasm despite operational hurdles.
By rejecting the valuation downgrade narrative, Musk signals confidence in SpaceX’s fundamentals and its readiness for public markets on terms favorable to its long-term vision. People have been waiting a very long time to invest in SpaceX, and the valuation, as well as the introductory share price, is not going to need adjusting.
They’ll have plenty of suitors.
This episode reflects broader dynamics in the technology sector, where rumors often swirl around high-profile entities. Musk’s direct engagement with media narratives serves to maintain transparency and control the narrative around his ventures.
As SpaceX prepares for greater scrutiny in public markets, the founder’s denial reinforces optimism about its prospects. Supporters argue that the company’s innovative edge positions it for enduring success, far beyond short-term valuation debates. With the denial now public, attention turns to forthcoming regulatory filings that could provide clearer insights into SpaceX’s strategy and financial health.
The coming weeks promise to reveal more about how SpaceX will transition into a publicly traded powerhouse.
Elon Musk
The Tesla and SpaceX merger everyone is talking about is quietly building
Tesla and SpaceX may be closer to merging than Wall Street or either company is admitting.
Elon Musk has reportedly discussed merging Tesla and SpaceX with people close to him, according to CNBC, which cited sources familiar with the conversation. Tesla employees have long expected such a transaction and the topic is openly discussed internally, according to internal sources. With SpaceX is days away from kicking off its Wall Street roadshow for what could be the largest IPO in market history, this would be the first time the company will have public market currency to execute a stock-for-stock deal with Tesla.
The financial logic for a merger would make sense. A combined SpaceX and Tesla would create a conglomerate spanning rockets, satellites, electric vehicles, AI infrastructure, and energy storage valued at roughly $3.35 trillion to $3.6 trillion based on SpaceX’s IPO target range and Tesla’s current market capitalization. The two companies are already more intertwined than most people realize. SpaceX bought $697 million worth of Tesla Megapack systems for xAI data centers and $131 million worth of Cybertrucks. Tesla invested $2 billion in xAI, which subsequently merged with SpaceX. Past transactions also include Tesla selling solar equipment and parts to SpaceX, and SpaceX helping with Cybertruck materials.
Will Tesla join the fold? Predicting a triple merger with SpaceX and xAI
Musk himself signaled where this was heading in November 2025 when he posted on X, “My companies are, surprisingly in some ways, trending towards convergence.” Tesla and SpaceX announced a joint semiconductor fabrication facility in Austin called Terafab on the Gigafactory Texas campus, covering two advanced chip factories, with one serving Tesla’s AI needs for vehicles and Optimus robots, the other targeting space-based data centers under SpaceX’s infrastructure vision.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives places the probability of a merger at 80% to 90% with a target completion in the first half of 2027. The mechanics of a deal became possible the moment SpaceX filed its S-1. Legal experts said a merger likely would not spark antitrust issues but would raise concerns among shareholders in each company, with questions around which company would be the parent, how a stock swap would take place, and who determines the appropriate price. Musk holds about 20% of Tesla’s equity but controls 85.1% of SpaceX’s voting power through a super-voting share class, meaning he would largely be negotiating the terms with himself.
Not everyone is convinced the timing is imminent. Traders on Kalshi place only 33% odds that a merger will happen before May 2027. The more immediate concern for Tesla shareholders is whether the SpaceX IPO pulls capital and Musk’s attention away from Tesla before any merger consolidates the upside for both.
What is clear is that the structural groundwork is already being laid. The Terafab announcement, the xAI merger, the shared supply chain, the cross-company balance sheet transactions, and now the IPO all point in the same direction. Whether the merger follows in 2027 or later, the two companies are already operating more like divisions of a single entity than independent competitors.
Elon Musk
SpaceX just filed for the IPO everyone was waiting for
SpaceX filed its public S-1, revealing $18.7 billion in revenue and billions in losses.
SpaceX publicly filed its S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2026, making its financial details available to the public for the first time ahead of what could be the largest IPO in history.
An S-1 is the formal document a company must submit to the SEC before going public. It includes audited financials, risk factors, business descriptions, and how the company plans to use the money it raises. Companies are required to file one before selling shares to the public, and it must be published at least 15 days before the investor roadshow begins. SpaceX had already submitted a confidential draft to the SEC in April, which allowed regulators to review the filing privately before it went public.
The S-1 reveals that SpaceX generated $18.7 billion in consolidated revenue in 2025, driven largely by its Starlink satellite internet division, which posted $11.4 billion in revenue, growing nearly 50% year over year. Despite that growth, the company lost about $4.9 billion in 2025 and has burned through more than $37 billion since its founding.
SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history
A significant portion of those losses trace back to xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which was recently merged into SpaceX. SpaceX directed roughly 60% of its capital spending in 2025 to its AI division, totaling around $20 billion, yet that division lost billions and grew revenue by only about 22%.
SpaceX plans to list its Class A common stock on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America leading the offering. The dual-class share structure means going public will not meaningfully reduce Musk’s control, as Class B shares he holds carry 10 votes per share compared to one vote for public Class A shares.
The company is targeting a raise of around $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, which would make it the largest IPO ever. The investor roadshow is reportedly planned for June 5.