

Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) Q1 2020 results: Beats on revenue, Model Y sets historic profit on launch
Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) first-quarter earnings for 2020 saw the electric car maker post $5.985 billion in revenue, slightly beating estimates from Wall Street. The results, which were discussed at length in an Update Letter, were released after the closing bell on Wednesday, April 29.
Tesla ended the first quarter on a surprisingly optimistic note. Despite the ongoing pressures from the coronavirus outbreak, Tesla managed to deliver 88,400 vehicles and produce over 102,000, comprised of 76,200 Model 3 and Model Y and 12,200 Model S and X.
Gigafactory Shanghai facility also reopened after a brief government-mandated shutdown in China due to the initial onset of the pandemic, and has since ramped its Model 3 production activities. Tesla stock has also proven resilient amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, rising 70% year to date.
The following are the key points in Tesla’s Q1 2020 Update Letter.
REVENUE
Tesla reported revenue of $5.985 billion for the first quarter. In contrast, Wall St. expected Tesla to report revenue of $5.85 billion as per data aggregated by NASDAQ.
EARNINGS
Tesla shareholders saw non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.24 in the fourth quarter, beating Wall St’s estimates. In comparison, Wall Street expected Tesla to report a loss of $0.18 per share for the first quarter.
CASH
Despite Q1 being a traditionally soft quarter as per automotive trends, Tesla was able to increase its cash by $1.8 billion. This hiked up the company’s total cash to around $8.1 billion, which is partly due to a $2.3 billion capital raise that was conducted in the first quarter.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Operating cash flow less capex (free cash flow) negative $895M in Q1 (of which $981M outflow due to inventory growth)
- $283M GAAP operating income; 4.7% operating margin in Q1
- $16M GAAP net income; $227M non-GAAP net income (ex-SBC) in Q1
- Gross margin at Giga Shanghai approaching level of US-made Model 3
- Model Y gross margin positive in Q1
- Solar Roof production exceeded 4 MW per week, enough for up to 1,000 homes
- Tesla Semi deliveries are shifted to 2021
TESLA ENERGY
The first quarter saw milestones for Tesla Energy. Apart from Solar Roof production in Gigafactory New York exceeding 4 MW per week, which is enough for 1,000 homes. The 100,000th Tesla Powerwall has also been installed, highlighting the potential of residential battery storage. Demand for the 3 MW Tesla Megapack is also healthy, being beyond the company’s capability to produce the grid-scale systems.
GIGAFACTORY SHANGHAI AND BERLIN
Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai is proving to be a trump card, with the facility poised to hit a production rate of 4,000 Model 3 per week in mid-2020. Tesla China is also poised to release two new versions of its locally-produced Model 3, the Long Range and Performance variants.
Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg is also progressing. While no groundbreaking activities have been done on the site, Tesla was nonetheless able to complete its ground-leveling operations. Despite this, Tesla still aims to start Model Y production in Gigafactory Berlin in 2021.
TSLA STOCK SO FAR
Investors proved bullish on the electric car maker on Wednesday, ending the day +4.08% and trading at $800.51 per share. Tesla shareholders have received the electric car maker’s results positively. As of writing, Tesla shares are trading 9.06% at $873.00 per share during after-hours trading.
Tesla’s Q1 2020 Update Letter could be accessed below.
Q1 2020 Update by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.
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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