Tesla’s Miss 'Wasn’t That Big': Truist’s Stein

Bloomberg TechnologyAbout 2 min readApr 24, 2025Watch original
THE SUMMARYAI-generated

Key Concepts:

  • Sell-side vs. Buy-side Consensus: Different expectations for company performance from brokerage firms (sell-side) and investment firms (buy-side).
  • Updated vs. Outdated Models: The importance of using current data when evaluating company results.
  • Energy Generation and Storage: Tesla's business segment including solar and Megapack products.
  • R&D Investments: Research and Development spending by Tesla.
  • Musk's Influence: Elon Musk's impact on Tesla's technological advancements and public perception.
  • Political Sentiment: Public opinion and potential negative impacts from Musk's involvement in government projects.

Analysis of Tesla's Recent Financial Results

The discussion centers on analyzing Tesla's recent financial results and the factors influencing them. The speaker emphasizes the importance of considering both sell-side and buy-side consensus estimates when evaluating a company's performance.

  • Discrepancy in Expectations: The speaker points out that many sell-side analysts had not updated their models to reflect Tesla's previously released delivery numbers. This led to a perception of a significant miss when comparing the actual results to the outdated consensus.
  • Revised Expectations: According to the speaker's updated model, the revenue miss was only about 1.5%. Tesla actually beat on gross profit but missed on operating profit and EPS (Earnings Per Share) by $0.06.
  • Areas of Disappointment: The speaker identifies two areas where Tesla's performance was disappointing: energy generation and storage (solar and Megapack) and operating expenses due to accelerated R&D investments.
  • Profit and Revenue Drop: Despite the speaker's perspective, the interviewer highlights the fact that Tesla experienced a profit drop, reaching its worst profit numbers since 2021, and a revenue drop, indicating fundamental issues.

Elon Musk's Role and Impact

The conversation shifts to Elon Musk's role in addressing Tesla's challenges.

  • Musk's Technological Prowess: The speaker argues that Musk's involvement is crucial for driving technological advancements with minimal spending. He cites Investor Relations' description of Musk's "superpower" in focusing talent to achieve significant technological breakthroughs.
  • Moderating Political Sentiment: The speaker believes that Musk spending less time on government projects and in the public eye would positively impact the stock. He suggests that reducing exposure to "political sentiment" would be beneficial.

Conclusion

The analysis suggests that while Tesla's recent financial results were somewhat disappointing, the situation is not as dire as initially perceived when considering updated expectations. The speaker emphasizes the importance of Elon Musk's continued involvement in driving technological innovation and moderating public perception to improve the company's performance. The key takeaway is that a nuanced understanding of market expectations and the specific factors influencing Tesla's business is crucial for accurate assessment.

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