Investor's Corner
Tesla investors want Elon Musk to discuss these things at Q3 Earnings
Tesla investors (NASDAQ: TSLA) want CEO Elon Musk to discuss these things on Wednesday as the company will report earnings for the third quarter of 2024.
Fresh off the heels of the “We, Robot” event, where Tesla unveiled the Cybercab, its version of a robotaxi, the Robovan, which could be named something completely different, and used the Optimus bot to serve drinks and entertain, the company will report earnings tomorrow.
Investors and analysts submit questions to Say, an investor relations platform, to ask Musk and other executives.
Here are the five things investors want to know about it:
Tesla $25k affordable model
Tesla has yet to shed any light on whether it will build a $25,000 EV apart from the Cybercab, which Musk said would be priced below $30,000.
Investors and analysts are well aware the vehicle could help Tesla break into an entirely new consumer base and help expand sales and deliveries, which are expected to be level with 2023 levels this year at 1.8 million.
Several of the top questions on Say ask about the $25k model and whether Tesla plans to bring this type of vehicle at this lower price point to market.
Unfortunately, Musk will likely deflect this question as he usually refuses to reveal any prospective vehicle plans on earnings calls.
Tesla Service
It is no secret Tesla Service has been a real bottleneck of the company in recent years, and with more vehicles on the road than ever, more service is needed.
Unfortunately, this is still a pain point for Tesla as it continues to struggle with reasonable wait times for owners, and although it has tried to streamline the process in the past, it has come up remarkably short.
It was not long ago that we reported on some owners complaining of service wait times of nearly two months. Imagine having a car that is in need of service, only to be told it will be two months before you can get an appointment.
Tesla owners complain about extended Service waits of nearly two months
Tesla wanted to streamline service with an F1-style pit-stop approach, but it truly never came to fruition. Although there are more service centers and mobile service vehicles nearly every quarter, Tesla is falling behind on creating an efficient maintenance model for owners.
Tesla Roadster
For years, we’ve been hearing the Tesla Roadster is coming.
This year was no different, as Musk said the vehicle would be unveiled at the end of 2024, but there are no current plans as of now, and there has not even been a hint. Tesla could have unveiled it at We, Robot, and it would have been a huge development.
(Credit: Tesla)
Musk said earlier this year that “most of the engineering” has been completed already, and production would begin next year.
Literally any clarification on whether this is still the plan would be massive for those who are waiting to drop $250,000 on the car.
Tesla Cybertruck AWD Tax Credit
Perhaps one of the most important questions that does not seem to be as important as the aforementioned topics is that of the Cybertruck AWD qualifying for the EV tax credit.
The IRS does not have the Cybertruck as a currently qualifying vehicle, which disqualifies owners who take delivery from the $7,500 credit, which is now available at the point of sale.
Ryan McCaffrey even brought up the issue:
I cannot believe that the #1 question isn’t, “What can you tell us about the individual tax credit eligibility on the Dual Motor Cybertruck? Is the issue with regulatory procedure on the IRS side or is there an element to the truck’s battery cells that disqualifies it?”
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) October 22, 2024
Tesla could clear the air significantly here and help bring some more information to owners or even prospective buyers who want to buy the Cybertruck but would like the help from the tax credit.
Tesla will report its earnings tomorrow at market close, 4 p.m. on the East Coast.
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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
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