Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) loses another VP, but it likely won’t have issues filling vacant executive posts
Less than a week after the departure of former CAO Dave Morton, Tesla VP for worldwide finance and operations Justin McAnear announced that he would be leaving the company on October. Prior to working for Tesla, McAnear was employed at Apple, where he served in the company’s finance team.
McAnear’s upcoming departure from the electric car maker has resulted in a fresh wave of reservations about Tesla’s high turnover rate. The company’s executive departures became a particular point of interest for the company’s critics, particularly in light of Elon Musk’s short-lived attempt to take the company private last month, as well as Tesla’s ongoing efforts to ramp Model 3 production and achieve profitability this Q3 2018.
Justin McAnear has issued a statement to The Verge about his upcoming departure, explaining that he is leaving Tesla because he has been offered a CFO role at another company. McAnear also noted that he is departing Tesla on good terms, and that several members of his team would be stepping up to fill his role.
“Several weeks ago, I announced to my team that I would be leaving Tesla because I had the chance to take a CFO role at another company. I’ve truly loved my time at Tesla, and I have great respect for my colleagues and the work they do, but this was simply an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. Any other speculation as to why I’ve left is simply inaccurate. I’ve been working with the team to ensure a smooth transition prior to my last day on October 7th, and a number of members of the team are stepping up to fill my role,” he noted.
In light of McAnear’s upcoming departure, Tigress Financial Partners chief investment officer Ivan Feinseth stated in a recent segment of Bloomberg Technology that while executive departures are never a good thing, Tesla would likely not have any problems filling its vacant executive roles. Feinseth further noted that Tesla’s place as a disruptor of the auto industry could very well be perceived as an opportunity by potential executives.
“I do believe there’s a long line of people who would love to work at Tesla. I don’t think they are going to have a hard time replacing anybody that’s leaving any of these positions, the opportunity to still get in on what is the ground floor of a company that is making huge changes to the automobile industry. And that is very appealing to people who are in Silicon Valley. A lot of companies do have high turnover. People in Silicon Valley tend to look for the next big opportunity. So the turnover is never good, but I think there’s opportunity to fill the positions pretty easily,” he said.
Tesla’s position as a disruptor in the US auto industry could very well be established this Q3 2018. After hitting its then-elusive goal of producing 5,000 Model 3 in a week at the end of June, the company has been in overdrive trying to sustain its optimal production levels for the electric car. In an email to employees shared on Tesla’s official blog on Friday, Elon Musk stated that the company is on the cusp of its most “amazing” quarter in its history, likely build and deliver “more than twice as many cars” as it did in Q2 2018.
Since the announcement of Justin McAnear’s upcoming departure and his subsequent statement explaining why he is leaving the company, Tesla stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) has largely remained resilient. As of writing, the company’s stocks are trading at $289.48, down 0.36% from Wednesday’s $290.54 close.
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.
A Tesla analyst today said that investors should not lose sight of what is truly important in the grand scheme of being a shareholder, and that any near-term drama between CEO Elon Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump should not outshine the progress made by the company.
Gene Munster of Deepwater Management said that Tesla’s progress in autonomy is a much larger influence and a significantly bigger part of the company’s story than any disagreement between political policies.
Munster appeared on CNBC‘s “Closing Bell” yesterday to reiterate this point:
“One thing that is critical for Tesla investors to remember is that what’s going on with the business, with autonomy, the progress that they’re making, albeit early, is much bigger than any feud that is going to happen week-to-week between the President and Elon. So, I understand the reaction, but ultimately, I think that cooler heads will prevail. If they don’t, autonomy is still coming, one way or the other.”
BREAKING: GENE MUNSTER SAYS — $TSLA AUTONOMY IS “MUCH BIGGER” THAN ANY FEUD 👀
He says robotaxis are coming regardless ! pic.twitter.com/ytpPcwUTFy
— TheSonOfWalkley (@TheSonOfWalkley) July 2, 2025
This is a point that other analysts like Dan Ives of Wedbush and Cathie Wood of ARK Invest also made yesterday.
On two occasions over the past month, Musk and President Trump have gotten involved in a very public disagreement over the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which officially passed through the Senate yesterday and is making its way to the House of Representatives.
Musk is upset with the spending in the bill, while President Trump continues to reiterate that the Tesla CEO is only frustrated with the removal of an “EV mandate,” which does not exist federally, nor is it something Musk has expressed any frustration with.
In fact, Musk has pushed back against keeping federal subsidies for EVs, as long as gas and oil subsidies are also removed.
Nevertheless, Ives and Wood both said yesterday that they believe the political hardship between Musk and President Trump will pass because both realize the world is a better place with them on the same team.
Munster’s perspective is that, even though Musk’s feud with President Trump could apply near-term pressure to the stock, the company’s progress in autonomy is an indication that, in the long term, Tesla is set up to succeed.
Tesla launched its Robotaxi platform in Austin on June 22 and is expanding access to more members of the public. Austin residents are now reporting that they have been invited to join the program.
Elon Musk
Tesla surges following better-than-expected delivery report
Tesla saw some positive momentum during trading hours as it reported its deliveries for Q2.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) surged over four percent on Wednesday morning after the company reported better-than-expected deliveries. It was nearly right on consensus estimations, as Wall Street predicted the company would deliver 385,000 cars in Q2.
Tesla reported that it delivered 384,122 vehicles in Q2. Many, including those inside the Tesla community, were anticipating deliveries in the 340,000 to 360,000 range, while Wall Street seemed to get it just right.
Tesla delivers 384,000 vehicles in Q2 2025, deploys 9.6 GWh in energy storage
Despite Tesla meeting consensus estimations, there were real concerns about what the company would report for Q2.
There were reportedly brief pauses in production at Gigafactory Texas during the quarter and the ramp of the new Model Y configuration across the globe were expected to provide headwinds for the EV maker during the quarter.
At noon on the East Coast, Tesla shares were up about 4.5 percent.
It is expected that Tesla will likely equal the number of deliveries it completed in both of the past two years.
It has hovered at the 1.8 million mark since 2023, and it seems it is right on pace to match that once again. Early last year, Tesla said that annual growth would be “notably lower” than expected due to its development of a new vehicle platform, which will enable more affordable models to be offered to the public.
These cars are expected to be unveiled at some point this year, as Tesla said they were “on track” to be produced in the first half of the year. Tesla has yet to unveil these vehicle designs to the public.
Dan Ives of Wedbush said in a note to investors this morning that the company’s rebound in China in June reflects good things to come, especially given the Model Y and its ramp across the world.
He also said that Musk’s commitment to the company and return from politics played a major role in the company’s performance in Q2:
“If Musk continues to lead and remain in the driver’s seat, we believe Tesla is on a path to an accelerated growth path over the coming years with deliveries expected to ramp in the back-half of 2025 following the Model Y refresh cycle.”
Ives maintained his $500 price target and the ‘Outperform’ rating he held on the stock:
“Tesla’s future is in many ways the brightest it’s ever been in our view given autonomous, FSD, robotics, and many other technology innovations now on the horizon with 90% of the valuation being driven by autonomous and robotics over the coming years but Musk needs to focus on driving Tesla and not putting his political views first. We maintain our OUTPERFORM and $500 PT.”
Moving forward, investors will look to see some gradual growth over the next few quarters. At worst, Tesla should look to match 2023 and 2024 full-year delivery figures, which could be beaten if the automaker can offer those affordable models by the end of the year.
Investor's Corner
Tesla delivers 384,000 vehicles in Q2 2025, deploys 9.6 GWh in energy storage
The quarter’s 9.6 GWh energy storage deployment marks one of Tesla’s highest to date.
Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has released its Q2 2025 vehicle delivery and production report. As per the report, the company delivered over 384,000 vehicles in the second quarter of 2025, while deploying 9.6 GWh in energy storage. Vehicle production also reached 410,244 units for the quarter.
Model 3/Y dominates output, ahead of earnings call
Of the 410,244 vehicles produced during the quarter, 396,835 were Model 3 and Model Y units, while 13,409 were attributed to Tesla’s other models, which includes the Cybertruck and Model S/X variants. Deliveries followed a similar pattern, with 373,728 Model 3/Ys delivered and 10,394 from other models, totaling 384,122.
The quarter’s 9.6 GWh energy storage deployment marks one of Tesla’s highest to date, signaling continued strength in the Megapack and Powerwall segments.
Year-on-year deliveries edge down, but energy shows resilience
Tesla will share its full Q2 2025 earnings results after the market closes on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, with a live earnings call scheduled for 4:30 p.m. CT / 5:30 p.m. ET. The company will publish its quarterly update at ir.tesla.com, followed by a Q&A webcast featuring company leadership. Executives such as CEO Elon Musk are expected to be in attendance.
Tesla investors are expected to inquire about several of the company’s ongoing projects in the upcoming Q2 2025 earnings call. Expected topics include the new Model Y ramp across the United States, China, and Germany, as well as the ramp of FSD in territories outside the US and China. Questions about the company’s Robotaxi business, as well as the long-referenced but yet to be announced affordable models are also expected.
Tesla FSD user in China shares insights after months of use: “Not a single safety intervention”
Tesla begins expanding Robotaxi access: here’s how you can ride
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