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Investor's Corner

Top 10 questions Tesla investors want answered in the Q3 2022 earnings call

Credit: Tesla Asia/Twitter

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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is holding its third-quarter earnings call after markets close tomorrow, October 19, 2022. As in previous quarters, Tesla investors have voted for the top questions that they want the company’s executives to answer at the upcoming Q3 2022 earnings call. 

As noted by Say, the questions that Tesla investors have submitted for the third quarter earnings call represent inquiries from retail and institutional investors. 

Following are the Top 10 questions from Institutional Tesla investors:

  1. Given the stringent battery content and assembly requirements for consumer tax credit eligibility under the Inflation Reduction Act, can you speak to Tesla’s ability to meet those thresholds in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 with your existing and planned supply chain?
  2. What updates can you offer on the backlog and recent order intake trends, especially outside of the US (and specifically in China)?
  3. Do you still expect 50% annualized growth for the foreseeable future? Is this also true for specifically the Chinese domestic market? Do you expect to need to cut vehicle prices or offer incentives in any market to sustain demand, or has demand remained stable or is even rising?
  4. Can you tell us more about the product + feature roadmap beyond new models and FSD, and specifically for the interior and powertrain of existing vehicle models?
  5. We keep hearing of the dire energy crisis in Germany this Winter. What are Tesla’s plans to combat power cuts, and will there be any delays in the ramp-up in production from Giga Berlin because of this?
  6. How is production planning going for the Cybertruck? What is the initial Phase 1 production target? When can we expect an update on pricing and final design?
  7. What is the progress of the 4680 cell ramp, and what factors determine whether vehicles get 2170 vs. 4680 cells, and how will that change in the next year?
  8. Can you share a little bit more on the production ramp targets for the Semi now that production has started?
  9. Can you talk about how Tesla could adjust if we were to enter a prolonged recession, including new product prioritization, investment flexibility (new factory, factory expansion, service/support infrastructure), productivity/cost measures, and demand stimulation alternatives?
  10. The progression from Tesla’s first platform with S / X to the second platform with 3 / Y led to a 50% reduction in COGS. When do you see Tesla’s third platform being released, and what level of COGS reduction could you achieve?

The following are the Top 10 questions from Retail Tesla investors. 

  1. You had said previously that FSD Hardware 4 would most likely come first in Cybertruck. Is that still the current plan? Do you expect there to be an upgrade path for Hardware 3 cars to Hardware 4?
  2. Is a share buyback being considered at the moment?
  3. How have Tesla’s battery cell production and material sourcing plans evolved with the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act that includes production credits for batteries and EVs?
  4. Do you see deliveries softening in Q4 due to people waiting to take delivery after 1/1/23 when the new tax credits take effect?
  5. Where’s/When’s the next Gigafactory being built?
  6. Any new updates on Tesla Solar Roof, new efficiencies, and spread across the US?
  7. Is Robotaxi/FSD rollout still on track for year-end in the USA?
  8. The rising cost of FSD is a big factor in people not upgrading to a new version. I have a 2020 Model Y with FSD and won’t upgrade to a 2023 because I can’t afford $15k FSD. I also cannot get $15k resale value for my old one. Will you allow transferring FSD to new cars?
  9. What are the major obstacles Tesla is facing in achieving a 10K/week run rate at Giga Berlin and Giga Austin?
  10. What is your forward-looking guidance on demand in the early half of 2023, given the macroeconomic situation we find ourselves in?

Tesla’s Q3 2022 earnings call will be held at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. A webcast of the Q3 2022 earnings call is linked here. 

Disclaimer: I am long TSLA. 

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

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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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Investor's Corner

xAI targets $5 billion debt offering to fuel company goals

Elon Musk’s xAI is targeting a $5B debt raise, led by Morgan Stanley, to scale its artificial intelligence efforts.

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(Credit: xAI)

xAI’s $5 billion debt offering, marketed by Morgan Stanley, underscores Elon Musk’s ambitious plans to expand the artificial intelligence venture. The xAI package comprises bonds and two loans, highlighting the company’s strategic push to fuel its artificial intelligence development.

Last week, Morgan Stanley began pitching a floating-rate term loan B at 97 cents on the dollar with a variable interest rate of 700 basis points over the SOFR benchmark, one source said. A second option offers a fixed-rate loan and bonds at 12%, with terms contingent on investor appetite. This “best efforts” transaction, where the debt size hinges on demand, reflects cautious lending in an uncertain economic climate.

According to Reuters sources, Morgan Stanley will not guarantee the issue volume or commit its own capital in the xAI deal, marking a shift from past commitments. The change in approach stems from lessons learned during Musk’s 2022 X acquisition when Morgan Stanley and six other banks held $13 billion in debt for over two years.

Morgan Stanley and the six other banks backing Musk’s X acquisition could only dispose of that debt earlier this year. They capitalized on X’s improved operating performance over the previous two quarters as traffic on the platform increased engagement around the U.S. presidential elections. This time, Morgan Stanley’s prudent strategy mitigates similar risks.

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Beyond debt, xAI is in talks to raise $20 billion in equity, potentially valuing the company between $120 billion and $200 billion, sources said. In April, Musk hinted at a significant valuation adjustment for xAI, stating he was looking to put a “proper value” on xAI during an investor call.

As xAI pursues this $5 billion debt offering, its financial strategy positions it to lead the AI revolution, blending innovation with market opportunity.

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Tesla tops Cathie Wood’s stock picks, predicts $2,600 surge

Tesla’s future lies beyond cars—with robotaxis, humanoid bots & AI-driven factories. Cathie Wood predicts a 9x surge in 5 years.

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Cathie Wood shared that Tesla is her top stock pick. During Steven Bartlett’s podcast “The Diary Of A CEO,” the Ark Invest founder highlighted Tesla’s innovative edge, citing its convergence of robotics, energy storage, and AI.

“Because think about it. It is a convergence among three of our major platforms. So, robots, energy storage, AI,” Wood said of Tesla. She emphasized the company’s potential beyond its current offerings, particularly with its Optimus robots.

“And it’s not stopping with robotaxis; there’s a story beyond that with humanoid robots, and our $2,600 number has nothing for humanoid robots. We just thought it’d be an investment, period,” she added.

In June 2024, Ark Invest issued a $2,600 price target for Tesla, which Wood reaffirmed in a March Bloomberg interview, projecting the stock to reach this level within five years. She told Bartlett that Tesla’s Optimus robots would drive productivity gains and create new revenue streams.

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Elon Musk echoed Wood’s optimism in a CNBC interview last month.

“We expect to have thousands of Optimus robots working in Tesla factories by the end of this year, beginning this fall. And we expect to scale Optimus up faster than any product, I think, in history to get to millions of units per year as soon as possible,” Musk said.

Tesla’s stock has faced volatility lately, hitting a peak closing price of $479 in December after President Donald Trump’s election win. However, Musk’s involvement with the White House DOGE office triggered protests and boycotts, contributing to a stock decline of over 40% from mid-December highs by March.

The volatility in Tesla stock alarmed investors, who urged Musk to refocus on the company. In a May earnings call, Musk responded, stating he would be “scaling down his involvement with DOGE to focus on Tesla.” Through it all, Cathie Wood and Ark Invest maintained their faith in Tesla. Wood, in particular, predicted that the “brand damage” Tesla experienced earlier this year would not be long term.

Despite recent fluctuations, Wood’s confidence in Tesla underscores its potential to redefine industries through AI and robotics. As Musk shifts his focus back to Tesla, the company’s advancements in Optimus and other innovations could drive it toward Wood’s ambitious $2,600 target, positioning Tesla as a leader in the evolving tech landscape.

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Investor's Corner

Goldman Sachs reduces Tesla price target to $285

Despite Goldman Sach’s NASDAQ: TSLA price cut to $285, Tesla boasts $95.7B in revenue & nearly $1T market cap.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Goldman Sachs analysts cut Tesla’s price target to $285 from $295, maintaining a Neutral rating.

The adjustment reflects weaker sales performance across key markets, with Tesla shares trading at $284.70, down nearly 18% in the past week. The analysts pointed to declining sales data in the United States, Europe, and China as the primary driver for the revised outlook. In the U.S., Tesla’s quarter-to-date deliveries through May fell mid-teens year-over-year, according to Wards and Motor Intelligence.

In Europe, April registrations plummeted 50% year-over-year, with May showing a mid-20% decline, per industry data. Meanwhile, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) reported a 20% year-over-year drop in May, despite a 5.5% sequential increase from April. Consumer surveys from HundredX and Morning Consult also shaped Goldman Sachs’ lowered delivery and EPS forecasts.

Goldman Sachs now projects Tesla’s second-quarter deliveries to range between 335,000 and 395,000 vehicles, with a base case of 365,000, down from a prior estimate of 410,000 and below the Visible Alpha Consensus of 417,000. Despite these headwinds, Tesla’s financials remain strong, with $95.7 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue and a $917 billion market capitalization.

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Regionally, Tesla’s challenges are stark. In Germany, the German road traffic agency KBA reported Tesla’s May sales dropped 36.2% year-over-year, despite a 44.9% surge in overall electric vehicle registrations. Tesla’s sales fell 29% last month in Spain, according to the ANFAC industry group. These declines highlight shifting consumer preferences amid growing competition.

On a positive note, Tesla is making strategic moves. The Model 3 and Model Y are part of a Chinese government campaign to boost rural sales, potentially mitigating losses. Piper Sandler analysts reiterated an Overweight rating, emphasizing Tesla’s supply chain strategy.

Alexander Potter stated, “Thanks to vertical integration, Tesla is the only car company that is trying to source batteries, at scale, without relying on China.”

As Tesla navigates these delivery challenges, its focus on innovation and supply chain resilience could help it maintain its edge in the electric vehicle market despite short-term hurdles.

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