TIMES.KY

Cayman Islands, Caribbeanand International News
Tuesday, Nov 05, 2024

Tesla profits jump and Elon Musk is confident amid global economy woes

Tesla profits jump and Elon Musk is confident amid global economy woes

Musk dismissed the idea that global economic problems were hurting interest in Tesla, despite vehicle prices' rising to what he called "embarrassing levels".

Tesla reported a smaller-than-expected drop in quarterly profit as a string of price increases on its electric vehicles (EVs) helped offset production challenges caused by supply chain issues, 1COVID1-19 lockdowns in China.

Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn said on Wednesday Tesla was still pushing to reach 50 per cent growth in deliveries this year, adding that while the target had become more difficult, "it remains possible with strong execution".

Tesla's second-quarter profit fell 32 per cent from record levels in the first quarter.

But the Austin, Texas, company still surprised analysts Wednesday with a better-than-expected $2.26 billion (€2.23 billion) net profit for the quarter. Tesla stuck with a prediction of 50 per cent annual vehicle sales growth over the next few years, but said that depends on the supply chain, equipment capacity and other issues.

The company made a record $3.32 billion (€3.25 billion) in this year's first quarter.

Tesla's sales from April through June fell to 254,000 vehicles, their lowest quarterly level since last fall. But the company predicted record-breaking production in the second half and said that in June it had the highest production month in its history.

Industry analysts had been expecting lower earnings after the lower sales figures and tweets by CEO Elon Musk about laying off 10 per cent of the company's work force due to fears of a recession.


What has Elon Musk said?


In an interview, Musk described new factories in Austin and Berlin as “money furnaces” that were losing billions of dollars because supply chain breakdowns were limiting the number of cars they can produce.

Musk said he expects inflation to start easing by end-2022 and most commodity prices to stabilise.

Tesla does not have a demand problem, but a production problem, Musk told a conference call. He dismissed the idea that global economic problems were hurting interest in Tesla, despite vehicle prices' rising to what he called "embarrassing levels".

But Tesla exceeded Wall Street expectations from April through June with adjusted earnings of $2.27 (€2.22) per share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $1.81. Revenue was $16.93 billion, beating estimates of $16.54 billion.

Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said the earnings were better than expected. He noted that the decrease in automobile revenues from the first quarter was offset by stronger energy storage, solar and services performance.

Musk reiterated the 50 per cent annual vehicle sales growth forecast but said it depends a lot on circumstances that the company might not be able to control.

Windau said the forecast “shows the confidence they have in their ability to grow the electric vehicle market.”

Tesla shares rose 1.5 per cent to $753.40 (€737) in extended trading Wednesday.


Converting Bitcoin


The company said it converted 75 per cent of its Bitcoin investment to government currency during the quarter, adding $936 million (€916 million) in cash to its balance sheet. It spent $1.5 billion (€1.47 billion) on the investment last year. Overall, it booked a $106 million (€103 milion) cost for Bitcoin, plus added costs for employee reductions.

CEO Elon Musk said the bitcoin holdings were sold to raise cash because of uncertainty over how long pandemic lockdowns would last in China. He said Tesla is open to increasing bitcoin holdings in the future.

The price of Bitcoin has fallen about 50 per cent so far this year.

Musk also said Tesla is seeing indications that inflation may decline as prices for most commodities drop. He cautioned against making economic predictions but said commodity prices, such as steel and aluminium, are trending down.


Plans for 'Full Self-Driving' car


Musk said Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” beta test software is on track to be released before the end of this year to all North American customers who want to buy it. And with regulatory approval, it will be released in Europe and other parts of the world, he said. Despite its name, “Full Self-Driving” cannot drive itself, and Tesla warns that drivers have to pay attention all the time.

Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn said the company is seeing “maybe a little” impact on demand due to macroeconomic issues.

Musk reiterated that Tesla has a vehicle supply problem, not a demand problem, and said it now takes six months to a year to get a new vehicle. He said the company has increased prices to “embarrassing levels” due to inflation, but he hopes to reduce prices a bit.

Newsletter

Related Articles

TIMES.KY
0:00
0:00
Close
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
Israel: Unprecedented Civil Disobedience Looms as IDF Reservists Protest Judiciary Reform
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The politician and the journalist lost control and started fighting on live broadcast.
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
Joe Biden admitted, in his own words, that he delivered what he promised in exchange for the $10 million bribe he received from the Ukraine Oil Company.
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Italian Court's Controversial Ruling on Sexual Harassment Ignites Uproar
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
BBC Personalities Rebuke Accusations Amidst Scandal Involving Teen Exploitation
A Swift Disappointment: Why Is Taylor Swift Bypassing Canada on Her Global Tour?
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
Unilever Plummets in a $2.5 Billion Free Fall, to begin with: A Reckoning for Misuse of Corporate Power Against National Interest
Beyond the Blame Game: The Need for Nuanced Perspectives on America's Complex Reality
Twitter Targets Meta: A Tangle of Trade Secrets and Copycat Culture
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
×