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Investor's Corner

Tesla (TSLA) Q2 2020 earnings call: Top 4 things to watch out for

Tesla Model Y Performance delivery center (Credit: i1Tesla/YouTube)

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Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) will report its Q2 2020 performance in an Earnings Call on Wednesday, July 22, 2020. Ahead of the call, investors and supporters of the electric automaker will be waiting to see if the company will turn its fourth straight profit, which would be a company record.

However, four things could ultimately affect Tesla’s performance during the second quarter of the year, which could lead to the company’s inclusion in the S&P 500 index. TheStreet believes that investors should pay attention to these four themes in the Q2 2020 Earnings Update Letter and Call.

1. Impact of Price Cuts

Tesla has reduced the prices of all four of its available vehicles so far in 2020. The move stimulated demand for the company’s electric cars, but analysts are conflicted about whether the strategy was a good business move or an indication that demand is lagging. However, it more than likely is not the latter, as Tesla managed to deliver 90,650 vehicles in the second quarter, beating Wall Street estimates handily. The company’s revenue for Q2 compared to its overall delivery figure for the quarter will give more insight into what the price cuts did to Tesla’s demand.

2. Free Cash Flow

TSLA shares have continued to rise in value nearly every day for the past few months. The run is particularly incredible because it has mainly occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to tear through the United States, where the electric automaker is based. With the company’s surge in price per share, Tesla has overtaken Toyota as the most valuable automaker in the world. The company’s bulls believe Tesla can scale production around the globe, and the company is certainly looking to do that. With plans to open another production facility in the U.S. soon, Giga Berlin under construction, and rumors of another Asian and U.K. located factory in the works, there is no reason to believe that the company can’t assume worldwide success.

3. China Demand

China has become one of the main parts of Tesla’s success as an automaker in 2020. The company currently only produces the Model 3 at Giga Shanghai now, but the vehicle has been selling well according to figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Tesla will look to expand its production to the Model Y soon as it is building the Shanghai factory’s “Phase 2” currently. Dan Ives, an analyst for Wedbush Securities, said, “strong Model 3 demand out of China remains a ray of shining light (and we believe was a clear standout in 2Q) for Tesla in a dark global macro.” He also believes that Tesla could deliver 150,000 vehicles this year in China alone.

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Giga Shanghai is currently holding a 200,000 annual vehicle production rate, Tesla said in the Q1 Earnings Call. It will be interesting to see if that number has increased.

4. Full-Year Outlook

Tesla has managed to power through the COVID-19 pandemic with relatively small amounts of damage. However, the company’s outlook for all of 2020 has not been updated. Both the Fremont and Shanghai production facilities were closed for one and a half months, and two weeks, respectively. The company expected to deliver 500,000 cars this year, but in the first half of the year, only 179,000 were successfully given to consumers. Tesla said it would modify its full-year guidance in Q2 during the Q1 Earnings Call, so the revisions to the company’s goals will likely be included with the Update Letter.

Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Investor's Corner

Tesla “best positioned” for Trump tariffs among automakers: analyst

Ives has a price target of $315 per share for the electric vehicle maker.

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Credit: Tesla

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives recently shared his thoughts about Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) amidst the Trump administration’s tariffs. As per Ives, Tesla is best-positioned relative to its rivals when it comes to the ongoing tariff issue.

Ives has a price target of $315 per share for the electric vehicle maker.

Best Positioned

During an interview with Yahoo Finance, the segment’s hosts asked about his thoughts on Tesla, especially considering Musk’s work with the Trump administration. Musk has previously stated that the effects of tariffs on Tesla are significant due to parts that are imported from abroad.

“When it comes to the tariff issue, they are actually best positioned relative to the Detroit Big Three and others and obviously foreign automakers. Still impacted, Musk has talked about that, in terms of just auto parts,” Ives stated.

China and Musk

Ives also stated that ultimately, a big factor for Tesla in the coming months may be the Chinese market’s reactions to its tariff war. He also noted that the next few quarters will be pivotal for Tesla considering the brand damage that Elon Musk has incited due to his politics and work with the Trump administration.

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“When it comes to Tesla, I think the worry is where does retaliatory look like in China, in terms of buying domestic. I think that’s something that’s a play. And they have a pivotal six months head, in terms of what everything we see in Austin, autonomous, and the buildout. 

“But the brand issues that Musk self-inflicted is dealing with in terms of demand destruction in Europe and the US. And that’s why this is a key few quarters ahead for Tesla and also for Musk to make, in my opinion, the right decision to take a step back from the administration,” Ives noted.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla negativity “priced into the stock at its current levels:” CFRA analyst

The CFRA analyst has given Tesla a price target of $360 per share.

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Credit: Tesla China

In recent comments to the Schwab Network, CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson stated that a lot of the “negative sentiment towards Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is priced into the stock at its current levels.”

The CFRA analyst has given Tesla a price target of $360 per share.

Q1 A Low Point in Sales

The CFRA analyst stated that Tesla’s auto sales likely bottomed last quarter, as noted in an Insider Monkey report. This was, Nelson noted, due to Q1 typically being the “weakest quarter for automakers.” He also highlighted that all four of Tesla’s vehicle factories across the globe were idled in the first quarter.

While Nelson highlighted the company’s changeover to the new Model Y as a factor in Q1, he also acknowledged the effects of CEO Elon Musk’s politics. The analyst noted that while Tesla lost customers due to Musk’s political opinions, the electric vehicle maker has also gained some new customers in the process.

CFRA’s Optimistic Stance

Nelson also highlighted that Tesla’s battery storage business has been growing steadily over the years, ending its second-best quarter in Q1 2025. The analyst noted that Tesla Energy has higher margins than the company’s electric vehicle business, and Tesla itself has a very strong balance sheet.

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The CFRA analyst also predicted that Tesla could gain market share in the United States because it has less exposure to the Trump administration’s tariffs. Teslas are the most American-made vehicles in the country, so the Trump tariffs’ effects on the company will likely be less notable compared to other automakers that produce their cars abroad.

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Investor's Corner

Tesla average transaction prices (ATP) rise in March 2025: Cox Automotive

Tesla Model Y and Model 3 saw an increase in their average transaction price (ATP) in March 2025.

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Credit: Tesla/X

Data recently released from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book has revealed that electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 saw an increase in their average transaction price (ATP) in March 2025.

Cox Automotive’s findings were shared in a press release

March 2025 EV ATPs

As noted by Cox, new electric vehicle prices in March were estimated to be $59,205, a 7% increase year-over-year. In February, new EV prices had an ATP of $57,015. The average transaction price for electric vehicles was 24.7% higher than the overall auto industry ATP of $47,462.

As per Cox, “Compared to the overall industry ATP ($47,462), EV ATPs in March were higher by nearly 25% as the gap between new ICE and new EV grows wider. EV incentives continued to range far above the industry average. In March, the average incentive package for an EV was 13.3% of ATP, down from the revised 14.3% in February.”

Tesla ATPs in Focus

While Tesla saw challenges in the first quarter due to its factories’ changeover to the new Model Y, the company’s ATPs last month were estimated at $54,582, a year-over-year increase of 3.5% and a month-over-month increase of 4.5%. A potential factor in this could be the rollout of the Tesla Model Y Launch Series, a fully loaded, limited-edition variant of the revamped all-electric crossover that costs just under $60,000.

This increase, Cox noted, was evident in Tesla’s two best-selling vehicles, the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y crossover, the best-selling car globally in 2023 and 2024. “ATPs for Tesla’s two core models – Model 3 and Model Y – were higher month over month and year over year in March,” Cox wrote.

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Cox’s Other Findings

Beyond electric vehicles, Cox also estimated that new vehicle ATPs held steady month-over-month and year-over-year in March at $47,462, down slightly from the revised-lower ATP of $47,577 in February. Sales incentives in March were flat compared to February at 7% of ATP, though they are 5% higher than 2024, when incentives were equal to 6.7% of ATP. 

Estimates also suggest that new vehicle sales in March topped 1.59 million units, the best volume month in almost four years. This was likely due to consumers purchasing cars before the Trump administration’s tariffs took effect. As per Erin Keating, an executive analyst at Cox, all things are pointing to higher vehicle prices this summer. 

“All signs point to higher prices this summer, as existing ‘pre-tariff’ inventory is sold down to be eventually replaced with ‘tariffed’ inventory. How high prices rise for consumers is still very much to be determined, as each automaker will handle the price puzzle differently. Should the White House posture hold, our team is expecting new vehicles directly impacted by the 25% tariff to see price increases in the range of 10-15%,” Keating stated.

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