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Tesla Earnings is tomorrow – Here’s what analysts think you should be looking for

Credit: @BabyTesla3/X

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Tesla is set to report its earnings for the second quarter tomorrow afternoon, and analysts are preparing for a variety of different things as the call is expected to have a different feel than previous ones.

Tesla Head of Investor Relations Martin Viecha announced last quarter that he would no longer be on any Earnings Calls moving forward as he was stepping down from his position. CEO Elon Musk will be on the call, and will navigate questions regarding what was a strong second quarter from analysts and investors alike.

Taking focus during this quarter will be several relevant topics during the first half of 2024 for Tesla. The company’s Robotaxi event, originally scheduled for August, has been pushed back to what Bloomberg reported as October.

Tesla Robotaxi unveiling event pushed back from August: report

Additionally, Tesla’s quarter was filled with various headlines — a 10 to 20 percent reduction in global workforce, a delivery beat, and a relative focus on artificial intelligence as Full Self-Driving and Optimus continue to be the center of discussions surrounding the company’s future.

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However, analysts believe something else might be a topic worth mentioning: margins.

Tesla’s Margins

Wall Street, according to Reuters, expects Tesla’s automotive gross margin to slip to 16.27 percent. This would be the lowest since Q1 2019. It was over 18 percent in Q2 2023 and 16.36 percent in Q1 2024.

This is likely due to Tesla’s incredibly attractive financing discounts, which it rolled out twice during Q2. Analysts believe margins are going to increase back to normal levels in 2025 as Cybertruck continues its production ramp, which will ease the pressure associated with the costs of building a new vehicle.

Paul Marino of GraniteShares said:

“AI and robotaxi is such a huge opportunity over the next two, three, five years. So if you’re a long-term believer, you’re going to take the margins like your medicine.”

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Robotaxi and Full Self-Driving

A main focus of the call for Tesla investors will be the rollout of Robotaxi and an update on the progress of Full Self-Driving (FSD). Tesla did delay its Robotaxi unveiling event, which was set for August 8, and it is expected to be in October.

The two-month delay is nothing too unsettling for long-term investors who have a belief in the company and Musk.

Tesla stock set for ten-fold surge on Robotaxi: ARK Invest

Wedbush talked about the lack of real impact the delay has on the long-term:

“While the knee-jerk reaction will clearly be negative on a delay of August 8th based on this report that just hit, we believe the timing of robotaxis, partnerships, and the ultimate autonomous and AI-driven technology does not change at all for our bullish Tesla thesis.”

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Dan Ives also said in his note that the delay could actually be looked at as a positive:

“To some extent, we believe this 2-month delay could just make the actual Robotaxi event and prototypes even better, and more eye-popping for Tesla as Musk and the team know this unlocks the key to the long-term future of the Tesla story, and investors want MORE details…not less at this historic event.”

Delivery Beat

Tesla reported delivery figures for the quarter at the beginning of the month and they were quite encouraging, all things considered. Beating Wall Street consensus figures by roughly 6,000 vehicles, Tesla stock saw a drastic increase in price since the report:

Tesla reports Q2 delivery and production figures, beating estimates

Up over 35 percent in the past month on the market, Tesla canceled out any losses it felt through the first six months.

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Along with the strong delivery figures, Tesla Energy reported its biggest quarter to date, with 9.4 GWh of deployments reported in Q2.

Tesla Energy could be one of the bigger factors in future earnings reports. Baird’s Ben Kallo said Q2 numbers “should be good largely (but not only) due to strength in energy:”

“We think a more stable pricing environment during the quarter, higher revenue from full self-driving, and the large beat in its energy segment all support a solid quarter.”

Tesla will report its Q2 Earnings tomorrow after the market closes. It will be followed by an Earnings Call with Musk and other executives.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Investor's Corner

xAI targets $5 billion debt offering to fuel company goals

Elon Musk’s xAI is targeting a $5B debt raise, led by Morgan Stanley, to scale its artificial intelligence efforts.

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(Credit: xAI)

xAI’s $5 billion debt offering, marketed by Morgan Stanley, underscores Elon Musk’s ambitious plans to expand the artificial intelligence venture. The xAI package comprises bonds and two loans, highlighting the company’s strategic push to fuel its artificial intelligence development.

Last week, Morgan Stanley began pitching a floating-rate term loan B at 97 cents on the dollar with a variable interest rate of 700 basis points over the SOFR benchmark, one source said. A second option offers a fixed-rate loan and bonds at 12%, with terms contingent on investor appetite. This “best efforts” transaction, where the debt size hinges on demand, reflects cautious lending in an uncertain economic climate.

According to Reuters sources, Morgan Stanley will not guarantee the issue volume or commit its own capital in the xAI deal, marking a shift from past commitments. The change in approach stems from lessons learned during Musk’s 2022 X acquisition when Morgan Stanley and six other banks held $13 billion in debt for over two years.

Morgan Stanley and the six other banks backing Musk’s X acquisition could only dispose of that debt earlier this year. They capitalized on X’s improved operating performance over the previous two quarters as traffic on the platform increased engagement around the U.S. presidential elections. This time, Morgan Stanley’s prudent strategy mitigates similar risks.

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Beyond debt, xAI is in talks to raise $20 billion in equity, potentially valuing the company between $120 billion and $200 billion, sources said. In April, Musk hinted at a significant valuation adjustment for xAI, stating he was looking to put a “proper value” on xAI during an investor call.

As xAI pursues this $5 billion debt offering, its financial strategy positions it to lead the AI revolution, blending innovation with market opportunity.

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Tesla tops Cathie Wood’s stock picks, predicts $2,600 surge

Tesla’s future lies beyond cars—with robotaxis, humanoid bots & AI-driven factories. Cathie Wood predicts a 9x surge in 5 years.

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Cathie Wood shared that Tesla is her top stock pick. During Steven Bartlett’s podcast “The Diary Of A CEO,” the Ark Invest founder highlighted Tesla’s innovative edge, citing its convergence of robotics, energy storage, and AI.

“Because think about it. It is a convergence among three of our major platforms. So, robots, energy storage, AI,” Wood said of Tesla. She emphasized the company’s potential beyond its current offerings, particularly with its Optimus robots.

“And it’s not stopping with robotaxis; there’s a story beyond that with humanoid robots, and our $2,600 number has nothing for humanoid robots. We just thought it’d be an investment, period,” she added.

In June 2024, Ark Invest issued a $2,600 price target for Tesla, which Wood reaffirmed in a March Bloomberg interview, projecting the stock to reach this level within five years. She told Bartlett that Tesla’s Optimus robots would drive productivity gains and create new revenue streams.

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Elon Musk echoed Wood’s optimism in a CNBC interview last month.

“We expect to have thousands of Optimus robots working in Tesla factories by the end of this year, beginning this fall. And we expect to scale Optimus up faster than any product, I think, in history to get to millions of units per year as soon as possible,” Musk said.

Tesla’s stock has faced volatility lately, hitting a peak closing price of $479 in December after President Donald Trump’s election win. However, Musk’s involvement with the White House DOGE office triggered protests and boycotts, contributing to a stock decline of over 40% from mid-December highs by March.

The volatility in Tesla stock alarmed investors, who urged Musk to refocus on the company. In a May earnings call, Musk responded, stating he would be “scaling down his involvement with DOGE to focus on Tesla.” Through it all, Cathie Wood and Ark Invest maintained their faith in Tesla. Wood, in particular, predicted that the “brand damage” Tesla experienced earlier this year would not be long term.

Despite recent fluctuations, Wood’s confidence in Tesla underscores its potential to redefine industries through AI and robotics. As Musk shifts his focus back to Tesla, the company’s advancements in Optimus and other innovations could drive it toward Wood’s ambitious $2,600 target, positioning Tesla as a leader in the evolving tech landscape.

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Investor's Corner

Goldman Sachs reduces Tesla price target to $285

Despite Goldman Sach’s NASDAQ: TSLA price cut to $285, Tesla boasts $95.7B in revenue & nearly $1T market cap.

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tesla-model-y-giga-berlin-delivery
(Credit: Tesla)

Goldman Sachs analysts cut Tesla’s price target to $285 from $295, maintaining a Neutral rating.

The adjustment reflects weaker sales performance across key markets, with Tesla shares trading at $284.70, down nearly 18% in the past week. The analysts pointed to declining sales data in the United States, Europe, and China as the primary driver for the revised outlook. In the U.S., Tesla’s quarter-to-date deliveries through May fell mid-teens year-over-year, according to Wards and Motor Intelligence.

In Europe, April registrations plummeted 50% year-over-year, with May showing a mid-20% decline, per industry data. Meanwhile, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) reported a 20% year-over-year drop in May, despite a 5.5% sequential increase from April. Consumer surveys from HundredX and Morning Consult also shaped Goldman Sachs’ lowered delivery and EPS forecasts.

Goldman Sachs now projects Tesla’s second-quarter deliveries to range between 335,000 and 395,000 vehicles, with a base case of 365,000, down from a prior estimate of 410,000 and below the Visible Alpha Consensus of 417,000. Despite these headwinds, Tesla’s financials remain strong, with $95.7 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue and a $917 billion market capitalization.

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Regionally, Tesla’s challenges are stark. In Germany, the German road traffic agency KBA reported Tesla’s May sales dropped 36.2% year-over-year, despite a 44.9% surge in overall electric vehicle registrations. Tesla’s sales fell 29% last month in Spain, according to the ANFAC industry group. These declines highlight shifting consumer preferences amid growing competition.

On a positive note, Tesla is making strategic moves. The Model 3 and Model Y are part of a Chinese government campaign to boost rural sales, potentially mitigating losses. Piper Sandler analysts reiterated an Overweight rating, emphasizing Tesla’s supply chain strategy.

Alexander Potter stated, “Thanks to vertical integration, Tesla is the only car company that is trying to source batteries, at scale, without relying on China.”

As Tesla navigates these delivery challenges, its focus on innovation and supply chain resilience could help it maintain its edge in the electric vehicle market despite short-term hurdles.

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