

Investor's Corner
Tesla’s 2021 delivery guidance pushes new heights as Q1 Earnings Call approaches
Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) delivery guidance is increasing and bulls are becoming more convinced of a record 2021 following impressive Q1 2021 delivery and production figures. As the Q1 2021 Earnings Call is set to take off in just a few hours, bulls like Dan Ives of Wedbush, are putting in their last predictions for the call along with some revised guidance figures for the year as a whole.
Ives, a notable Tesla bull who has remained optimistic regarding the company’s full-year delivery guidance, is beginning to suspect that Tesla could surpass the initial projections that analysts have set for the automaker this year. Consensus estimates were around 800,000 deliveries for the year. However, Tesla announced in early April that it had successfully delivered 184,800 vehicles.
While that sounds low considering the full-year guidance would require at least 200,000 cars per quarter, Tesla accomplished this feat by delivering only two of its four available models: the Model 3 and Model Y made their way to customers in substantial figures. Meanwhile, the Model S and Model X “refresh” projects are being refined and are moving forward at a pace that isn’t necessarily what Tesla expected. However, the company may have wanted a few things revised with the two flagship vehicles, and the new design required a retooling of production lines at the Fremont factory where the cars are manufactured.
“I believe we could be starting to go towards 900,000,” says @DivesTech on $TSLA delivery numbers tonight. “I ultimately think this is just the next step in the stock going to $1,000 … we believe China, that’s the linchpin of their success.” pic.twitter.com/yo7er0otx9
— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) April 26, 2021
With that being said, the Model S and Model X, while not incredibly important to Tesla’s overall growth, are still contributors to the company’s production and delivery figures. The absence of the two vehicles certainly sparked “what ifs” in the minds of Tesla investors. Demand seems to be relatively stable for the two cars with the new design. That, along with two new production facilities that have planned launch dates in 2021, is a contributing factor to some analysts revising their full-year guidance.
“Before, the line in the sand was really 800,000,” Ives said on Squawk Box earlier today. “Now, despite all of the skeptics, competition, chip shortage issues, I believe that we could now be starting to go toward 900,000.”
Tesla had its fair share of issues in Q1, and it still didn’t halt the momentum the company held at the tail end of 2020. As Ives mentioned, chip shortages, skeptical analysts, and increased competition did not keep Tesla from reporting a huge quarter in terms of delivery and production. With that being said, Tesla undoubtedly will encounter some bottlenecks throughout 2021 that are just unexpected events. Tesla’s response to what it encountered in Q1 was remarkable, and the automaker has plenty of evidence to back up claims that it will deliver closer to 900,000 cars in 2021.
“I ultimately think this is just the next step in the stock going toward $1,000,” Ives added.
Wall Street currently expects Tesla to report non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) of $0.79 during the Q1 2021 Earnings Call that will take place later this evening. Additionally, Wall Street expects Tesla to report revenue of $10.29 billion.
Tesla’s first-quarter earnings call will be held tonight, Monday, April 26th, 2021, at 2:30 pm Pacific Time or 5:30 pm Eastern Time.
Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA Shareholder.
Investor's Corner
Tesla could save $2.5B by replacing 10% of staff with Optimus: Morgan Stanley
Jonas assigned each robot a net present value (NPV) of $200,000.

Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) near-term outlook may be clouded by political controversies and regulatory headwinds, but Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sees a glimmer of opportunity for the electric vehicle maker.
In a new note, the Morgan Stanley analyst estimated that Tesla could save $2.5 billion by replacing just 10% of its workforce with its Optimus robots, assigning each robot a net present value (NPV) of $200,000.
Morgan Stanley highlights Optimus’ savings potential
Jonas highlighted the potential savings on Tesla’s workforce of 125,665 employees in his note, suggesting that the utilization of Optimus robots could significantly reduce labor costs. The analyst’s note arrived shortly after Tesla reported Q2 2025 deliveries of 384,122 vehicles, which came close to Morgan Stanley’s estimate and slightly under the consensus of 385,086.
“Tesla has 125,665 employees worldwide (year-end 2024). On our calculations, a 10% substitution to humanoid at approximately ($200k NPV/humanoid) could be worth approximately $2.5bn,” Jonas wrote, as noted by Street Insider.
Jonas also issued some caution on Tesla Energy, whose battery storage deployments were flat year over year at 9.6 GWh. Morgan Stanley had expected Tesla Energy to post battery storage deployments of 14 GWh in the second quarter.
Musk’s political ambitions
The backdrop to Jonas’ note included Elon Musk’s involvement in U.S. politics. The Tesla CEO recently floated the idea of launching a new political party, following a poll on X that showed support for the idea. Though a widely circulated FEC filing was labeled false by Musk, the CEO does seem intent on establishing a third political party in the United States.
Jonas cautioned that Musk’s political efforts could divert attention and resources from Tesla’s core operations, adding near-term pressure on TSLA stock. “We believe investors should be prepared for further devotion of resources (financial, time/attention) in the direction of Mr. Musk’s political priorities which may add further near-term pressure to TSLA shares,” Jonas stated.
Investor's Corner
Two Tesla bulls share differing insights on Elon Musk, the Board, and politics
Two noted Tesla bulls have shared differing views on the recent activities of CEO Elon Musk and the company’s leadership.

Two noted Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) bulls have shared differing views on the recent activities of CEO Elon Musk and the company’s leadership.
While Wedbush analyst Dan Ives called on Tesla’s board to take concrete steps to ensure Musk remains focused on the EV maker, longtime Tesla supporter Cathie Wood of Ark Invest reaffirmed her confidence in the CEO and the company’s leadership.
Ives warns of distraction risk amid crucial growth phase
In a recent note, Ives stated that Tesla is at a critical point in its history, as the company is transitioning from an EV maker towards an entity that is more focused on autonomous driving and robotics. He then noted that the Board of Directors should “act now” and establish formal boundaries around Musk’s political activities, which could be a headwind on TSLA stock.
Ives laid out a three-point plan that he believes could ensure that the electric vehicle maker is led with proper leadership until the end of the decade. First off, the analyst noted that a new “incentive-driven pay package for Musk as CEO that increases his ownership of Tesla up to ~25% voting power” is necessary. He also stated that the Board should establish clear guidelines for how much time Musk must devote to Tesla operations in order to receive his compensation, and a dedicated oversight committee must be formed to monitor the CEO’s political activities.
Ives, however, highlighted that Tesla should move forward with Musk at its helm. “We urge the Board to act now and move the Tesla story forward with Musk as CEO,” he wrote, reiterating its Outperform rating on Tesla stock and $500 per share price target.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to Ives’ suggestions with a brief comment on X. “Shut up, Dan,” Musk wrote.
Cathie Wood reiterates trust in Musk and Tesla board
Meanwhile, Ark Investment Management founder Cathie Wood expressed little concern over Musk’s latest controversies. In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Wood said, “We do trust the board and the board’s instincts here and we stay out of politics.” She also noted that Ark has navigated Musk-related headlines since it first invested in Tesla.
Wood also pointed to Musk’s recent move to oversee Tesla’s sales operations in the U.S. and Europe as evidence of his renewed focus in the electric vehicle maker. “When he puts his mind on something, he usually gets the job done,” she said. “So I think he’s much less distracted now than he was, let’s say, in the White House 24/7,” she said.
TSLA stock is down roughly 25% year-to-date but has gained about 19% over the past 12 months, as noted in a StocksTwits report.
Investor's Corner
Cantor Fitzgerald maintains Tesla (TSLA) ‘Overweight’ rating amid Q2 2025 deliveries
Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for the electric vehicle maker.

Cantor Fitzgerald is holding firm on its bullish stance for Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), reiterating its “Overweight” rating and $355 price target amidst the company’s release of its Q2 2025 vehicle delivery and production report.
Tesla delivered 384,122 vehicles in Q2 2025, falling below last year’s Q2 figure of 443,956 units. Despite softer demand in some countries in Europe and ongoing controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk, the firm maintained its view that Tesla is a long-term growth story in the EV sector.
Tesla’s Q2 results
Among the 384,122 vehicles that Tesla delivered in the second quarter, 373,728 were Model 3 and Model Y. The remaining 10,394 units were attributed to the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. Production was largely flat year-over-year at 410,244 units.
In the energy division, Tesla deployed 9.6 GWh of energy storage in Q2, which was above last year’s 9.4 GWh. Overall, Tesla continues to hold a strong position with $95.7 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue and a 17.7% gross margin, as noted in a report from Investing.com.
Tesla’s stock is still volatile
Tesla’s market cap fell to $941 billion on Monday amid volatility that was likely caused in no small part by CEO Elon Musk’s political posts on X over the weekend. Musk has announced that he is forming the America Party to serve as a third option for voters in the United States, a decision that has earned the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite Musk’s controversial nature, some analysts remain bullish on TSLA stock. Apart from Cantor Fitzgerald, Canaccord Genuity also reiterated its “Buy” rating on Tesla shares, with the firm highlighting the company’s positive Q2 vehicle deliveries, which exceeded its expectations by 24,000 units. Cannacord also noted that Tesla remains strong in several markets despite its year-over-year decline in deliveries.
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