Tesla shares soared Wednesday after the company reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit. The company also forecasted “slight” growth in deliveries in 2019 and a large jump in 2025.
This performance is a significant turnaround for Tesla which had suffered a number of disappointing quarters due to concerns about a slowing demand for EVs. Elon Musk’s divisive political activism and the court battle over his $56bn share option package have also impacted its performance. Musk said that vehicle sales would grow between 20 and 30 percent next year, after price cuts on existing vehicles which will in turn spur demand.
He also mentioned improvements in the self-driving tech and new products, including his autonomous “Cybercab” that was unveiled earlier this year. Musk said that lower interest rates are reducing monthly payments, which is having a significant impact on demand.
Tesla shares rose by 12 percent in after-hours trade, giving investors some relief. They are now half the value of their peak reached in November 2021. The value of the company is $669 billion, making it the world’s most valuable carmaker.
According to a filing by the Austin-based company, adjusted net income rose 8 percent from a previous year to $2.5bn. This was higher than analysts’ expectations of $2.1bn. The company’s revenue rose by 8 percent to $25.2 billion, just shy of the $25.4 billion average estimate from analysts.
The profit was driven by the 2 percent increase in vehicle sales, which accounts for four fifths of the group’s income. A 52 per cent boost to its energy storage and generation business was also recorded.
Operating expenses dropped 6 percent to $2.3bn, after the company cut 14% of its workforce earlier in the year. Tesla stated that despite the macroeconomic situation, it expects to see a slight increase in vehicle deliveries by 2024. Tesla said that “plans for new cars, including more affordable versions, are on track to start production in the first six months of 2025.” Musk, however, said that Tesla is not working on the much-anticipated $25,000 affordable “Model 2”.
“We do not make a non robotaxi model. . . “Having a standard [$25,000] is useless, it’s completely irrelevant when you consider what we believe,” said he. He added, “It is obvious that autonomy is the future.”
Musk stated that Tesla’s focus was on reducing costs of existing models. After subtracting government EV incentives, its Cybercab would be priced at around $25,000
Musk made a strategic pivot to autonomous driving, robotics and artificial intelligence, predicting that these technologies will soon be Tesla’s main revenue source and increase its valuation. He has recently revealed a prototype of a fleet of self driving “Cybercabs”, which he hopes will be in production by the beginning of 2027.
Analysts and investors were disappointed by the lack of technical or financial details provided in the “We, Robots” event, which was held in a Los Angeles movie studio, where Tesla’s humanoid “Optimus” robots performed to Daft Punk while serving beer to the attendees. The stock dropped 9 percent as a result.
The third-quarter data provided further optimism. Tesla announced that Cybertruck reported a positive margin of gross profit for the first-time — after years production delays and recalls. It was also the third most popular EV in America behind the Model Y. Musk also said that the company’s “Semi”, electric truck factory, would begin production by next year.
In a report released earlier this month, Tesla announced deliveries grew 6.4 percent in the third quarter, to 462,890 cars globally. Chinese sales offset a weak demand in Europe. It maintained its position as the leading EV manufacturer ahead of China’s BYD.
Analysts also noted on Wednesday that Tesla’s gross profit margin had improved to 19.8 percent in the third quarter, up from 17.9 percent in the same time period last year.
This closely watched financial metric has been boosted by the $739mn in revenue generated from regulatory credits that it sells to manufacturers who do not meet EV production targets. This was the second highest amount ever, after $890mn.
Tesla has also updated the number of Nvidia graphics processor unit chips that are installed in its Texas manufacturing facility. These chips are used to train AI systems, which underpin Tesla’s self-driving tech called FSD. The company said that 29,000 graphics processing units were installed at the Gigafactory, and the number would rise to 50,000 chips by the end October.
Musk’s support of Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for president, has engendered controversy. He’s giving away $1,000 a day for registered voters who sign a petition supporting free speech and right to bear arms.
Musk has promised to return the favor by making Trump head of a new “department for government efficiency,” which would offer suggestions on how to cut spending, bureaucracy, and regulations. This position could be beneficial to Musk’s other companies, including SpaceX, and his social media network X. These political activities could provoke the anger of Democratic candidate Kamala Harri if she wins.
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