Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) Q1 2021 earnings results: $10.39B in revenue, beats with $0.93 EPS
Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) first-quarter for 2021 saw the electric car maker post $10.389 billion in revenue. The results, which were discussed in an Update Letter, were released after the closing bell on Monday, April 26, 2021.
Tesla’s first quarter was impressive, with the electric car maker producing a total of 180,338 vehicles, an astounding number considering that Q1 is typically a soft quarter for car sales. The company also delivered 184,800 vehicles comprised of 182,780 Model 3 and Model Y, as well as 2,020 Model S and Model X.

Tesla’s strong Q1 results were due in part to the accelerating Model Y ramp in the United States and the production push for the Model 3 and Model Y in Gigafactory Shanghai. This allowed the company to achieve impressive figures despite the halt in the production of the refresh Model S and Model X.
The following are the key points in Tesla’s Q1 2021 Update Letter.
REVENUE
Tesla effectively beat expectations for revenue in the first quarter, reporting a revenue of $10.389 billion for the first quarter, representing year-over-year growth of 74%. In comparison, Wall Street expected Tesla’s Q1 2021 revenue to be at $10.29 billion.
EARNINGS
Tesla also beat expectations for earnings, with the company posting non-GAAP earnings per share of $0.93 in the first quarter. Wall Street, on the other hand, expected Tesla to report a gain of $0.79 per share. This represented year-over-year growth of 304%. Tesla’s GAAP earnings per share stood at $0.39 per share in the first quarter, corresponding to YoY growth of 1850%.
PROFITABILITY
Tesla’s GAAP net income reached $438M, and our non-GAAP net income surpassed $1B for the first time in the company’s history.
CASH
Net cash outflow was listed at $1.2 billion thanks to the company’s Bitcoin acquisition, while debt and finance lease reduction stands at $1.2 billion. Overall, Tesla’s cash decreased $2.2 billion, resulting in the company having $17.1 billion in total in the first quarter.
TESLA ENERGY
Tesla Energy saw some momentum in the first quarter of 2021. Tesla Solar deployments were listed at 92 MW in Q1, which is notably higher than the company’s deployments in Q1 2020, which stood at 35 MW. Battery deployments also saw a notable rise YoY, with Q1 2021 having 445 MWh and Q1 2020 having 260 MWh. Solar Roof deployments grew 9x compared to the same period last year
Other Notable Highlights
- Model 3 was the best-selling premium sedan in the world, electric or otherwise
- Production ramp of Model Y in Shanghai progressing well
- Record vehicle production and deliveries in Q1
- Massive progress in Gigafactory Berlin and Giga Texas
Tesla’s Q1 2021 Update Letter could be accessed below.
TSLA-Q1-2021-Update by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
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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
Elon Musk
‘You chose ambition’: Tesla Chair hails shareholders for backing Elon Musk’s vision
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm has issued a letter to shareholders celebrating what she described as “overwhelming support” at this year’s Annual Meeting, framing the approval of Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar pay plan as a defining moment in Tesla’s mission.
Denholm stated that the vote highlighted TSLA investors’ continued confidence in both Musk’s leadership and Tesla’s vision for an autonomous, AI-driven future.
Denholm hails shareholder confidence
In her letter, which was posted by the electric vehicle maker on X through Tesla’s official handle, Denholm thanked investors for backing Proposals One, Three, and Four, items she said reaffirm Tesla’s “Master Plan Part IV” and its broader mission to accelerate sustainable prosperity. She characterized the shareholder vote as “a vote of confidence in our visionary leader, Elon,” crediting Musk with transforming Tesla into one of the most valuable companies in history.
“In a year when many tried to sow doubt and negativity, you chose a better future,” Denholm wrote. “You chose ambition. You chose to see what is possible. You chose to back the people who have been in the room since the earliest days, fighting for the mission that first brought us all together—a better world for humanity,” she wrote in her letter.
Her comments framed Musk’s pay package approval not only as a governance milestone but as a symbolic endorsement of Tesla’s long-term trajectory across autonomy, AI, and energy innovation.
“A whole new book” of innovation
Denholm highlighted Tesla’s push toward autonomy as the company’s next major growth phase, citing the Robotaxi program and Optimus humanoid robot as examples of bringing artificial intelligence “into the physical world.” She described this period as potentially “the largest value-creation event in Tesla’s history, and quite possibly in the history of humanity.”
The letter reaffirmed the board’s commitment to direct engagement with shareholders through Tesla’s online platform and live events. Denholm emphasized that feedback from investors “informs our strategy and strengthens us” as Tesla prepares for new technology rollouts and expanded AI capabilities.
“You, our shareholders, have given us the mandate and the runway to execute. We are humbled, and rest assured that we do not take that responsibility lightly… Thank you for believing in Tesla. Thank you for standing with us. We look forward to years of bold leadership and pioneering innovation, fueled by our commitment to creating a better future for all,” she wrote.
Elon Musk
Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey endorses Elon Musk Tesla pay package
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Twitter co-founder and Square CEO Jack Dorsey has publicly backed Elon Musk’s leadership ahead of Tesla’s pivotal shareholder vote, which is expected to be decided later today at the company’s 2025 annual meeting.
Dorsey framed the pay package as an engineering and governance crossroads for Tesla.
Dorsey’s public nod framed as an engineering defense of Musk
In a post on X, Dorsey weighed in on Tesla’s post about being in a “critical inflection point.” As per the Twitter-co-founder, the vote on Musk’s 2025 performance award is not about compensation. Instead, it’s about ensuring the path for the company’s engineering in the coming years.
“This is not about compensation. it’s about ensuring a principled (and exciting!) engineering approach to the company’s future,” Dorsey wrote on his post, later stating that users of Cash app with TSLA shares would be able to vote for the CEO’s proposed 2025 performance award.
Elon Musk appreciated Dorsey’s endorsement, responding to the Twitter co-founder’s post with a heart emoji. Musk has been pretty thankful for the support for is fellow tech executives, also thanking Michael Dell recently, who also advocated for its proposed 2025 performance award.
Musk’s support
While Elon Musk’s 2025 performance award has received opposition from proxy advisors such as Glass Lewis and ISS, it has received quite a lot of support from longtime bulls such as ARK Invest, and, more recently, Schwab Asset Management following calls from TSLA retail shareholders.
“Schwab Asset Management’s approach to voting on proxy matters is thorough and deliberate. We utilize a structured process that focuses on protecting and promoting shareholder value. We apply our own internal guidelines and do not rely on recommendations from Glass Lewis or ISS. In accordance with this process, Schwab Asset Management intends to vote in favor of the 2025 CEO performance award proposal. We firmly believe that supporting this proposal aligns both management and shareholder interests, ensuring the best outcome for all parties involved,” Charles Schwab told Teslarati.
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