Tesla will be profitable and cash flow positive in Q3 and Q4, says Elon Musk

By Simon Alvarez

Posted on April 13, 2018

Elon Musk recently announced on Twitter that he expects Tesla to be profitable and have positive cash flow by the third and fourth quarter of 2018.

Musk’s statement on Twitter came as a response to a report from The Economist. According to the publication, Jefferies, a bank, estimates that Tesla would need to raise $2.5 to $3 billion worth of additional capital this year. The publication further noted that Tesla would likely be facing a “cash crunch” as it deals with “rising interest rates, a wobbly share price, and a continued inability to meet its own production goals.”

Musk, however, maintained Tesla’s statement on its first quarter production and delivery report. According to the CEO, there would be no need to raise money this 2018. In classic fashion, Musk included a sharp retort directed at the publication.

“The Economist used to be boring, but smart with a wicked dry wit. Now it’s just boring (sigh). Tesla will be profitable & cash flow+ in Q3 & Q4, so obv no need to raise money,” Musk tweeted.

The Economist used to be boring, but smart with a wicked dry wit. Now it’s just boring (sigh). Tesla will be profitable & cash flow+ in Q3 & Q4, so obv no need to raise money.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 13, 2018

Despite the optimistic tone of its Q1 production and delivery report, Tesla has continued its battle against critics, many of whom are predicting that the company would be unable to meet its production goals for the Model 3 and that it would need to raise more capital this year. Just a couple of days ago, we reported on Musk taunting Goldman Sachs’ recent “Sell” rating on TSLA stock.

According to Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino in a note on Tuesday, Tesla would only be able to maintain a production rate for the Model 3 equal to around 1,400 per week. The analyst further cut the 12-month price target for TSLA, bringing it down from $205 to $195, implying a 32% downside.

As noted by HyperChange TV host Galileo Russell, Tamberrino’s analysis, which is from Goldman Sachs’ equity research division, stands in stark contrast to its investing division’s initiatives towards Tesla. Goldman Sachs’ investment bank, after all, owns more than $330 million worth of TSLA stocks, making it one of the most prominent institutional investors in the Elon Musk-led company. During Q4 2017 alone, Goldman Sachs’ investment bank significantly increased its position at Tesla, buying more than 470,000 shares of the electric car maker.

If Musk’s recent tweet is any indication, however, it appears like he is confident in Tesla’s chances this year. Considering reports that Tesla is also aiming to start the production of the Model Y as early as 2019, it definitely seems like Musk truly believes that things will start looking better for his electric car company soon.

Apart from his bold declaration on Tesla’s upcoming profitability, Musk also provided a brief update on the availability of residential Powerwall 2 units. According to Musk, demand has been higher than expected for the home battery storage system. Musk noted that Tesla is manufacturing the Powerwall 2 “as fast as possible,” but the waitlist for the product is 3-6 months.