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Tesla (TSLA) Q1 2023 earnings results: $23.3B in revenue, 19.3% non-GAAP gross margins

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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) posted its Q1 2023 earnings report after markets closed today. The results, which were discussed in the Q1 2023 Update Letter, were released after the closing bell on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

Tesla’s earnings come on the heels of the company’s aggressive pricing strategy and record delivery numbers. In the first quarter, Tesla produced 440,808 vehicles and delivered 422,875.  That’s a new record for the EV maker, which is quite impressive considering that Q1 is relatively short and it gets hit by holidays like the Chinese New Year.

The following is a quick overview of Tesla’s Q1 2023 results.

Earnings per Share

Tesla’s earnings per share for the first quarter of 2023 was listed at $0.85, which was right in line with analyst expectations of $0.85 as per estimates compiled by Refinitiv. 

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Revenue

Tesla posted revenues of $23.33 billion, which was a slight beat of the $23.21 billion that was expected by analysts compiled by Refinitiv. Automotive revenue, a core segment of Tesla’s business, was listed at $19.96 billion in Q1 2023. 

Overall, revenue grew 24% YoY in Q1 to $23.3 billion year-over-year. This was impacted by a growth in vehicle deliveries, reduced ASP year-over-year, and negative FX impact of $0.88 billion.

Gross Margin

Tesla’s gross margin for the first quarter of 2023 was listed at 19.3%. In Q1 2022, Tesla’s gross margin was listed at 29.1%.

Profitability

Tesla’s operating income decreased YoY to $2.7 billion in Q1, resulting in a 11.4% operating margin. The company noted that operating income was affected by growth in vehicle deliveries, reduced ASP YoY, higher raw material, commodity, logistics and warranty costs, cost of production ramp of 4680 cells, and lower credit revenue, among others. 

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Net Income and GAAP Earnings

Net income, however, came at $2.51 billion, down about 24% from the past year. GAAP earnings were listed at $0.73, which is down about 23% from Q1 2022. 

Cash

At the end of Q1 2023, Tesla’s cash, cash equivalents, and investments rose sequentially by $217 million, reaching a total of $22.4 billion. This was fueled in no small part by free cash flow of $441 million, though it was somewhat tempered by other financial activities such as debt repayments.

On Pricing and Affordability

A key focus of this quarter’s results would be Tesla’s pricing, which mostly got lower in Q1. In the recently released Update Letter, Tesla explained that while most of the automotive sector is still struggling with the economics of their respective EV programs, the company is looking to leverage its position as a cost leader. Tesla also highlighted that its pricing strategy considers a long-term view per vehicle.

“Our near-term pricing strategy considers a long-term view on per vehicle profitability given the potential lifetime value of a Tesla vehicle through autonomy, supercharging, connectivity, and service. We expect that our product pricing will continue to evolve, upwards or downwards, depending on a number of factors. Although we implemented price reductions on many vehicle models across regions in the first quarter, our operating margins reduced at a manageable rate. We expect ongoing cost reduction of our vehicles, including improved production efficiency at our newest factories and lower logistics costs, and remain focused on operating leverage as we scale.”

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Vehicle Program Highlights

Tesla shared a number of updates on its vehicle programs in its Q1 2023 Update Letter. The company, for one, revealed that Cybertruck factory tooling is on track, and it is currently producing Alpha versions of the all-electric pickup truck.

Over the first quarter of 2023, the Tesla Model Y crossover also became the best-selling vehicle in Europe in Q1. The vehicle was also the best-selling vehicle in the United States during the quarter, at least outside pickup trucks.

Tesla’s Q1 2023 Update Letter can be found below.

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Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk

The Tesla and SpaceX merger everyone is talking about is quietly building

Tesla and SpaceX may be closer to merging than Wall Street or either company is admitting.

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Elon Musk has reportedly discussed merging Tesla and SpaceX with people close to him, according to CNBC, which cited sources familiar with the conversation. Tesla employees have long expected such a transaction and the topic is openly discussed internally, according to internal sources. With SpaceX is days away from kicking off its Wall Street roadshow for what could be the largest IPO in market history, this would be the first time the company will have public market currency to execute a stock-for-stock deal with Tesla.

The financial logic for a merger would make sense. A combined SpaceX and Tesla would create a conglomerate spanning rockets, satellites, electric vehicles, AI infrastructure, and energy storage valued at roughly $3.35 trillion to $3.6 trillion based on SpaceX’s IPO target range and Tesla’s current market capitalization. The two companies are already more intertwined than most people realize. SpaceX bought $697 million worth of Tesla Megapack systems for xAI data centers and $131 million worth of Cybertrucks. Tesla invested $2 billion in xAI, which subsequently merged with SpaceX. Past transactions also include Tesla selling solar equipment and parts to SpaceX, and SpaceX helping with Cybertruck materials.

Will Tesla join the fold? Predicting a triple merger with SpaceX and xAI

Musk himself signaled where this was heading in November 2025 when he posted on X, “My companies are, surprisingly in some ways, trending towards convergence.” Tesla and SpaceX announced a joint semiconductor fabrication facility in Austin called Terafab on the Gigafactory Texas campus, covering two advanced chip factories, with one serving Tesla’s AI needs for vehicles and Optimus robots, the other targeting space-based data centers under SpaceX’s infrastructure vision.

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Wedbush analyst Dan Ives places the probability of a merger at 80% to 90% with a target completion in the first half of 2027. The mechanics of a deal became possible the moment SpaceX filed its S-1. Legal experts said a merger likely would not spark antitrust issues but would raise concerns among shareholders in each company, with questions around which company would be the parent, how a stock swap would take place, and who determines the appropriate price. Musk holds about 20% of Tesla’s equity but controls 85.1% of SpaceX’s voting power through a super-voting share class, meaning he would largely be negotiating the terms with himself.

Elon Musk explains why he cannot be fired from SpaceX

Not everyone is convinced the timing is imminent. Traders on Kalshi place only 33% odds that a merger will happen before May 2027. The more immediate concern for Tesla shareholders is whether the SpaceX IPO pulls capital and Musk’s attention away from Tesla before any merger consolidates the upside for both.

What is clear is that the structural groundwork is already being laid. The Terafab announcement, the xAI merger, the shared supply chain, the cross-company balance sheet transactions, and now the IPO all point in the same direction. Whether the merger follows in 2027 or later, the two companies are already operating more like divisions of a single entity than independent competitors.

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Elon Musk

SpaceX just filed for the IPO everyone was waiting for

SpaceX filed its public S-1, revealing $18.7 billion in revenue and billions in losses.

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SpaceX publicly filed its S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 20, 2026, making its financial details available to the public for the first time ahead of what could be the largest IPO in history.

An S-1 is the formal document a company must submit to the SEC before going public. It includes audited financials, risk factors, business descriptions, and how the company plans to use the money it raises. Companies are required to file one before selling shares to the public, and it must be published at least 15 days before the investor roadshow begins. SpaceX had already submitted a confidential draft to the SEC in April, which allowed regulators to review the filing privately before it went public.

The S-1 reveals that SpaceX generated $18.7 billion in consolidated revenue in 2025, driven largely by its Starlink satellite internet division, which posted $11.4 billion in revenue, growing nearly 50% year over year. Despite that growth, the company lost about $4.9 billion in 2025 and has burned through more than $37 billion since its founding.

SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history

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A significant portion of those losses trace back to xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, which was recently merged into SpaceX. SpaceX directed roughly 60% of its capital spending in 2025 to its AI division, totaling around $20 billion, yet that division lost billions and grew revenue by only about 22%.

SpaceX plans to list its Class A common stock on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, with Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America leading the offering. The dual-class share structure means going public will not meaningfully reduce Musk’s control, as Class B shares he holds carry 10 votes per share compared to one vote for public Class A shares.

The company is targeting a raise of around $75 billion at a valuation of roughly $1.75 trillion, which would make it the largest IPO ever. The investor roadshow is reportedly planned for June 5.

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Elon Musk

Tesla ditches India after years of broken promises

Tesla has ditched its plans to build a factory in India after years of failed negotiations.

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Tesla’s long-running effort to establish a manufacturing presence in India is officially over. India’s Minister of Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy confirmed on May 19, 2026 that Tesla has informed authorities it will not proceed with a manufacturing facility in the country.

Tesla first signaled serious interest in India around 2021, when it began hiring local staff and lobbying the Indian government for lower import tariffs. The ask was straightforward: reduce duties enough for Tesla to test the market with imported vehicles before committing capital to a local factory. India’s position was equally firm, with an ask of Tesla to commit to manufacturing first, then receive tariff relief. Neither side moved, and the talks quietly collapsed.

Tesla to open first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15

India had offered a policy that would reduce import duties from 110% down to 15% on EVs priced above $35,000, provided companies committed at least $500 million toward local manufacturing investment within three years. Tesla declined to participate. The tariff standoff was only part of the problem. Analysts pointed to significant gaps in India’s local supply chain, inadequate industrial infrastructure, and a mismatch between Tesla’s premium pricing and the purchasing power of India’s automotive market as additional factors that made the investment difficult to justify.

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First signs of an unraveling relationship came in April 2024, when Musk abruptly cancelled a planned trip to India where he was set to meet Prime Minister Modi and announce Tesla’s market entry. By July 2024, Fortune reported that Tesla executives had stopped contacting Indian government officials entirely. The government at that point understood Tesla had capital constraints and no plans to invest.

The more fundamental issue is that Tesla’s existing factories are currently operating at approximately 60% capacity, making a commitment to building new manufacturing capacity in a new market difficult to defend to investors. Tesla will continue selling imported Model Y vehicles through its existing showrooms in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru, but local production is no longer part of the plan.

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