Investor's Corner
Tesla’s 2019 Annual Shareholder Meeting: 10 things retail investors want to know
Tesla’s retail investors are aggregating a number of inquiries that will hopefully be addressed by the electric car maker in the upcoming 2019 Annual Shareholder Meeting, which will be held later today. The questions are compiled from verified TSLA investors by Say, a startup whose aim is to develop effective investor communication tools.
Through the online platform, TSLA investors submitted and voted on inquiries that they wish would be discussed and explained by Tesla during the event. So far, the crowdsourced initiative has been garnering a fair amount of support from investors, with over 420 retail shareholders representing around $27 million worth of TSLA stock submitting their inquiries as of writing.
Here are a number of questions that have garnered a good number of votes from retail shareholders.
- What is the status of Tesla insurance for vehicles?
- What aspects of battery production will the integration of Maxwell technology affect and by what factor including cost, energy density, and longevity? Will it also impact batteries used for energy storage?
- Production has been battery constrained for some time now. Can you describe Tesla’s road map to increase cell and pack production as the Model Y, Semi, Pickup, and Roadster 2.0 will dramatically add to Tesla’s battery needs?
- Can Tesla provide an update on the direction of (its) solar business?
- Elon, you’ve said you want Tesla to be the best manufacturer on earth. Can you comment on some of the things manufacturing wise that will be different in Giga3 compared with Fremont and the other Gigafactories?
- Tesla does not advertise which is a good thing (mostly). However, majority of the people are unaware of how affordable, fun and efficient Tesla cars are. Any plans for non-traditional marketing to educate the people on the advantages of owning a Tesla and accelerate adoption?
- Is there any chance the Model Y production schedule will be pushed up? We all know Crossovers and Small SUVs are the highest selling automobiles now, and many other automakers appear to be readying theirs for sale.
- Would Tesla consider opening up the “Tesla Ride-sharing Network” prior to full autonomy being reached? Allowing the public to hail premium rides from Tesla owners through the Tesla App would add an additional source of revenue generation and introduce non-owners with the brand.
- At the end of 2018 Q4 you announced a significant multifaceted service initiative. How far has it come and how much further does it need to go to be where you want it to be?
- When will model 3 owners who paid for FSD get upgraded from HW2.5 to HW3?
Tesla has been tapping into the pulse of its retail shareholders using the Say platform for the past quarters. During last year’s second quarter earnings call, for example, retail investors representing $60 million worth of TSLA shares aggregated over 300 inquiries for the company, and five were personally addressed by CEO Elon Musk during the Q&A session. Say also played a huge part in Tesla’s Q1 2019 earnings call, where investors inquired about updates on projects such as the Maxwell acquisition and Powerpack production.
Tesla’s 2019 Annual Shareholder Meeting is expected to be held on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time at the Computer History Museum located in Mountain View, CA. Similar to the company’s Autonomy Day, which saw Tesla unveil the capabilities of its custom-designed full self-driving computer, the upcoming shareholder meeting will be livestreamed. The link for the event’s livestream could be accessed here.
The full list of questions from TSLA’s retail investors listed on Say for the Annual Shareholder Meeting could be accessed here.
Investor's Corner
Tesla wins $508 price target from Stifel as Robotaxi rollout gains speed
The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives.
Tesla received another round of bullish analyst updates this week, led by Stifel, raising its price target to $508 from $483 while reaffirming a “Buy” rating. The firm cited meaningful progress in Tesla’s robotaxi roadmap, ongoing Full Self-Driving enhancements, and the company’s long-term growth initiatives.
Robotaxi rollout, FSD updates, and new affordable cars
Stifel expects Tesla’s robotaxi fleet to expand into 8–10 major metropolitan areas by the end of 2025, including Austin, where early deployments without safety drivers are targeted before year-end. Additional markets under evaluation include Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, as noted in an Investing.com report. The firm also highlighted strong early performance for FSD Version 14, with upcoming releases adding new “reasoning capabilities” designed to improve complex decision-making using full 360-degree vision.
Tesla has also taken steps to offset the loss of U.S. EV tax credits by launching the Model Y Standard and Model 3 Standard at $39,990 and $36,990, Stifel noted. Both vehicles deliver more than 300 miles of range and are positioned to sustain demand despite shifting incentives. Stifel raised its EBITDA forecasts to $14.9 billion for 2025 and $19.5 billion for 2026, assigning partial valuation weightings to Tesla’s FSD, robotaxi, and Optimus initiatives.
TD Cowen also places an optimistic price target
TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating with a $509 price target after a research tour of Giga Texas, citing production scale and operational execution as key strengths. The firm posted its optimistic price target following a recent Mobility Bus tour in Austin. The tour included a visit to Giga Texas, which offered fresh insights into the company’s operations and prospects.
Additional analyst movements include Truist Securities maintaining its Hold rating following shareholder approval of Elon Musk’s compensation plan, viewing the vote as reducing leadership uncertainty.
@teslarati Tesla Full Self-Driving yields for pedestrians while human drivers do not…the future is here! #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ 2 Little 2 Late – Levi & Mario
Investor's Corner
Tesla receives major institutional boost with Nomura’s rising stake
The move makes Tesla Nomura’s 10th-largest holding at about 1% of its entire portfolio.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) has gained fresh institutional support, with Nomura Asset Management expanding its position in the automaker.
Nomura boosted its Tesla holdings by 4.2%, adding 47,674 shares and bringing its total position to more than 1.17 million shares valued at roughly $373.6 million. The move makes Tesla Nomura’s 10th-largest holding at about 1% of its entire portfolio.
Institutional investors and TSLA
Nomura’s filing was released alongside several other fund updates. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its holdings by 11.8%, as noted in a MarketBeat report, and Revolve Wealth Partners lifted its TSLA position by 21.2%. Bison Wealth increased its Tesla stake by 52.2%, AMG National Trust Bank increased its position in shares of Tesla by 11.8%, and FAS Wealth Partners increased its TSLA holdings by 22.1%. About 66% of all outstanding Tesla shares are now owned by institutional investors.
The buying comes shortly after Tesla reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings, posting $0.50 per share compared with the $0.48 consensus. Revenue reached $28.10 billion, topping Wall Street’s $24.98 billion estimate. Despite the earnings beat, Tesla continues to trade at a steep premium relative to peers, with a market cap hovering around $1.34 trillion and a price-to-earnings ratio near 270.
Recent insider sales
Some Tesla insiders have sold stock as of late. CFO Vaibhav Taneja sold 2,606 shares in early September for just over $918,000, reducing his personal stake by about 21%. Director James R. Murdoch executed a far larger sale, offloading 120,000 shares for roughly $42 million and trimming his holdings by nearly 15%. Over the past three months, Tesla insiders have collectively sold 202,606 shares valued at approximately $75.6 million, as per SEC disclosures.
Tesla is currently entering its next phase of growth, and if it is successful, it could very well become the world’s most valuable company as a result. The company has several high-profile projects expected to be rolled out in the coming years, including Optimus, the humanoid robot, and the Cybercab, an autonomous two-seater with the potential to change the face of roads across the globe.
@teslarati Tesla Full Self-Driving yields for pedestrians while human drivers do not…the future is here! #tesla #teslafsd #fullselfdriving ♬ 2 Little 2 Late – Levi & Mario
Investor's Corner
Ron Baron states Tesla and SpaceX are lifetime investments
Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Billionaire investor Ron Baron says he isn’t touching a single share of his personal Tesla holdings despite the recent selloff in the tech sector. Baron, one of Tesla’s longest-standing bulls, reiterated that his personal stake in the company remains fully intact even as volatility pressures the broader market.
Baron doubles down on Tesla
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Baron stated that he is largely unfazed by the market downturn, describing his approach during the selloff as simply “looking” for opportunities. He emphasized that Tesla remains the centerpiece of his long-term strategy, recalling that although Baron Funds once sold 30% of its Tesla position due to client pressure, he personally refused to trim any of his personal holdings.
“We sold 30% for clients. I did not sell personally a single share,” he said. Baron’s exposure highlighted this stance, stating that roughly 40% of his personal net worth is invested in Tesla alone. The legendary investor stated that he has already made about $8 billion from Tesla from an investment of $400 million when he started, and believes that figure could rise fivefold over the next decade as the company scales its technology, manufacturing, and autonomy roadmap.
A lifelong investment
Baron’s commitment extends beyond Tesla. He stated that he also holds about 25% of his personal wealth in SpaceX and another 35% in Baron mutual funds, creating a highly concentrated portfolio built around Elon Musk–led companies. During the interview, Baron revisited a decades-old promise he made to his fund’s board when he sought approval to invest in publicly traded companies.
“I told the board, ‘If you let me invest a certain amount of money, then I will promise that I won’t sell any of my stock. I will be the last person out of the stock,’” he said. “I will not sell a single share of my shares until my clients sold 100% of their shares. … And I don’t expect to sell in my lifetime Tesla or SpaceX.”
Watch Ron Baron’s CNBC interview below.
@teslarati :rotating_light: This is why you need to use off-peak rates at Tesla Superchargers! #tesla #evcharging #fyp ♬ Blue Moon – Muspace Lofi
Tesla lands approval for Robotaxi operation in third U.S. state
Tesla ride-hailing Safety Monitor dozes off during Bay Area ride
