

Investor's Corner
Tesla starts recruitment efforts in China as details on first Shanghai site emerge
Reports have emerged that Tesla has started its recruitment efforts in China. The news comes less than a week after a business license was granted to Tesla Motors Hong Kong Co., LLC, the electric car maker’s HK division, to operate and establish a solely-owned facility in the country.
Tesla’s hiring efforts started on May 16, with the company’s official WeChat account posting job listings for a Tesla facility in Shanghai. Among the positions listed in by the company were project managers, tax commissioners, government affairs managers, financial service area managers, low-voltage electrical test engineers, and IT field system administrators.
As noted in a report from Sohu, a local news agency, Tesla Motors HK’s recently-granted business license lists the company’s address as No. 168 Tonghui Road, Nanhui New Town, which is in the same area as the Shanghai Lingang Industrial Service Center. A field reporter from the news agency visited Tesla’s listed site on May 15, but so far, it appears that construction is yet to take place on the location.
Tesla’s registered capital for its first Shanghai site is listed at 100 million yuan, which corresponds to $15.8 million. Interestingly, the industrial and commercial information outlined in the business scope of Tesla’s first Shanghai site does not mention the production of battery modules or electric vehicles. As noted in a report from JQK News, the facility would instead be involved in the “technical development, technical services, technical consulting, technology transfer in the field of electric vehicles and parts, batteries, energy storage equipment, and photovoltaic products.” The facility will also be providing “supporting services, electric vehicle demonstration, and product promotion.”
Overall, it appears that Tesla’ first Shanghai facility will not be the company’s Gigafactory that Elon Musk teased during the Q1 2018 earnings call. The factory, which Musk said would produce both battery modules and vehicles, is expected to manufacture the upcoming Model Y crossover SUV, as well as some of the Model 3. As noted by Chinese business news agency EastMoney.com, the listed location in Tesla Motors HK’s business license is simply far too limited to accommodate Tesla’s factory.
Speculations are emerging about the location of the China Gigafactory, however. On May 15, a report from the China Securities Net was released, citing informed sources who reported that Tesla had begun work on a factory in Shanghai. The alleged location of the factory, according to the sources, was a piece of land adjacent to the seashore along the seawall of Lingang. According to a local news reporter who visited the site, the location did not show prominent signs of construction, though several heavy equipment were parked in the area. A worker who was on the site noted that they were instructed to raise the plot of land. The worker, however, did not mention Tesla.
A factory in China is a pertinent part of Tesla’s goals for expansion. During the company’s Q3 2017 earnings call last November, Musk stated that having a factory in China is “really the only way to make cars affordable” in the country, which hosts one of the most lucrative markets for electric vehicles. Musk mentioned Tesla’s China facility in the Q4 2017 earnings call as well, when he teased that capital investments related to the Model Y will likely be made this year.
Overall, it was China’s pledge to cut import tariffs and remove ownership restrictions for foreign carmakers operating in the country that seems to have pushed the company’s foray into the Asian economic superpower further. Before China softened its stance on foreign automakers like Tesla, Musk likened its initiatives in the country to “competing in an Olympic race wearing lead shoes.”
Investor's Corner
Tesla welcomes Chipotle President Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.

Tesla has welcomed Chipotle president Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors. Hartung will officially start his tenure at the electric vehicle maker on June 1, 2025.
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.
Jack Hartung’s Role
With Hartung’s addition, the Tesla Board will now have nine members. It’s been a while since the company added a new director. Prior to Hartung, the last addition to the Tesla Board was Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia back in 2022. As noted in a Reuters report, Hartung will serve on the Tesla Board’s audit committee. He will also retire from his position as president and chief strategy officer at Chipotle, and transition into a senior advisor’s role at the restaurant chain, next month.
Hartung has had a long career in the Mexican grill, joining Chipotle in 2002. He held several positions in the company, most recently serving as Chipotle’s President and Chief Strategy Officer. Tesla highlighted Hartung’s accomplishments in a post on its official account on X.
“Over the past 20+ years under Jack’s financial leadership, Chipotle has seen significant growth with over 3,700 restaurants today across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Jack was named ‘CFO of the Year’ by Orange County Business Journal and Best CFO in the restaurant category by Institutional Investor,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.
Tesla Board and Musk
Tesla is a controversial company with a controversial CEO, so it is no surprise that the Board of Directors tend to get flak as well. Two weeks ago, for example, Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm slammed The Wall Street Journal for publishing an article alleging that company directors had considered a search for a potential successor to Elon Musk. Denholm herself has also been criticized for offloading her TSLA shares.
More recently, news emerged suggesting that the Tesla Board of Directors had formed a special committee aimed at exploring a new pay package for CEO Elon Musk. The committee is reportedly comprised of Tesla board Chair Robyn Denholm and independent director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, and they would be exploring alternative compensation methods for Musk’s contributions to the company.
Investor's Corner
Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings
Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.
Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.
However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.
Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.
Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.
Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.
On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.
As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.
Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) poised to hit $1 trillion valuation again amid reports of Trump China deal
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket.

Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) are on a tear on Monday’s premarket amidst reports that the United States and China have agreed to significantly roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period.
As of writing, the premarket price of TSLA shares suggests that the electric vehicle maker might end Monday with a $1 trillion valuation once more.
Tesla and China
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket. As noted in a report from Barron’s, these prices suggest that the company could achieve a trillion-dollar valuation again, a level not seen since late February. Similar to Tesla, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were also up 2.8% and 2.1%, respectively, on Monday’s premarket.
The United States and China’s decision to roll back its tariffs would likely be appreciated by CEO Elon Musk. Despite working for the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and despite Tesla being least affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs due to its strong domestic supply chains in the United States, China, and Europe, Musk has noted that he is a supporter of non-predatory tariffs.
The United States and China’s Agreement
In a joint statement from the United States and China posted on the White House’s official website, the two countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days. This means that the United States will temporarily lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, as noted in an ABC 12 report. China, on the other hand, will also lower its tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
The talks were led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as per the joint statement. Bessent shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment in Geneva. “The consensus from both delegations is neither side wants to be decoupled, and what have occurred with these very high tariffs … was an equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade. We want more balance in trade. And I think both sides are committed to achieving that,” he said.
A spokesperson from China’s Commerce Ministry also shared a statement about the matter. As per the spokesperson, the deal was an “important step by both sides to resolve differences through equal-footing dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork and creating conditions for further bridging gaps and deepening cooperation.”
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