Tesla, TSLA & the Investment World: the Perpetual Investors' Roundtable

[LJS22]

If you are unhappy with the performance of Tesla under Elon...

I’m furious...I thought we’d be at $7k a share...can’t even cross $1k. I thought by now EV’s would cost $10k but they barely have it at $35k, hell my car can’t even drive itself unsupervised. Where’s Bob Lutz when you need him!

 

[canoemore]

All the tremendous accomplishments for Tesla this quarter. All the positive and exciting announcements for the near and long term growth. All the expanding gap between Tesla and all it's competitors.

All this, and all we can talk about is the CEO's comment regarding the pandemic. Really? Come on folks, we're better than that, aren't we?

Dan

You mean the CEO's unhinged rant about how a common sense, scientifically-informed response to a global health emergency is Fascism? I think you might be giving Elon a bit of a pass on the responsibility for this one.

 

[kbM3]

How does the accounting work for that. Would costs of the car be counted in Q1 and revenue in Q2?

No. Cost and revenue for a given car, both hit the books in the quarter in which the vehicle is delivered.

 

[azaz]

The reason Elon’s personal non company related behavior has always mattered to Tesla is because so much of Tesla’s brand is Elon’s brand and he’s done so by choice. You fanboys don’t seem to realize how pissed off these comments make the average person. Support for lockdown is still super high across both parties and most people view C19 much, much more seriously than Elon does.

he’s coming off like a rich asshole that just wants his factories to re-open. This will hurt Tesla’s brand if it continues. These are the type of PR blunders that you end up needing crisis firms and what not to wipe the stink off

 

[Reductionist]

I suspect he's frustrated by the fact that the order (in the area he is interested in) seems capricious with no end in sight, or no plan which would lead to an end. When there's a plan and a timetable he can come up with a recovery strategy. Right now, he's in limbo.

Agreed. Most of the western world seems to have the worst of both worlds: Massive economic damage, but without a lockdown that's strict enough to stop community transmission. As a consequence cases will spike back up as soon as restrictions are loosend, and we are in effect treading water by keeping new cases constant (but way to low for effective herd immunity). I can certainly understand how Elon would be massively annoyed by that.

 

[Curt Renz]

For those on the forum with long term experience with TSLA, I would love hear your perspective on this Twitter controversy. I'm hoping to look at the bigger picture above the noise and passion of the moment.

I know he has tweeted controversial things in the past, but "Elon Musk" is now the top trending term in my region, and it is a little bit demoralizing to see so many people jump on the hating Elon bandwagon without thinking about what he is trying to accomplish with regard to a sustainable future.

I think for the most part, people will forget about this in a short amount of time, and they are just generally upset and looking for someone to vent their frustrations on. Does anyone think this has a bearing on the long-term future of the company?

It's a sideshow that keeps Tesla in the news without having to pay the media for advertising.

 

[Chocochip]

In a free society the government should use persuasion not force.

"We elect our representatives to lead us! But, like, for whenever we feel like being lead. Sometimes they should just piss off, cuz it's a free country, we do what we like!"

You know those things they call "laws"? Do you know the State of Emergency gives the Government legal powers that supersede normal-times laws? I'm not a lawyer, just a "regular", but it seems to me that if people can just choose which laws to abide by, the laws themselves become pointless.

 

[SOULPEDL]

Not too bad. The price is still at $872.

"Too bad"? It's freaking amazing!

 

[Pezpunk]

Super solid burn.

i laughed because i read it as an accidental self-burn.

 

[SageBrush]

Does the gross profit include EV credit payments ?

 

[sparcs]

Except the Bay Area is ignoring it completely.

even if the Bay area is a week or two behind, is it really enough to make it seem like this is the end of the world?

I get he's frustrated, but this does not seem like the most productive way of coming up with a resolution.

 

[JusRelax]

Elon's take on the pandemic is a bit unhinged and detached from reality, which to me is indicative of two things:

1) He's incredibly frustrated with Fremont shutdown - because while it doesn't matter in the long-term, it absolutely matters for Q2 and whether they can eek out S&P inclusion. I do believe this is important to Elon - he wants stability for shareholders.

2) His dealings with government officials regarding the factory have likely been underwhelming. I don't mean this in the sense that he didn't get the desired outcome. I think he has been speaking to people who cannot offer a clear, well-reasoned plan or vision moving forward, and instead resort to "We're government and the answer is NO." Unfortunately he's more likely to encounter such folks at the local level because these folks tend to be enforcers rather than thoughtful leaders. As others have pointed out, there has to be a middle ground where life can go on as safely as possible but the leadership to provide that path is in scarce supply.

I think you hit the nail on the head. The only thing I might add is that the evidence of much cleaner air during the shelter at home order has motivated Elon even moreso that the transition to sustainable transportation must happen as quickly as possible.

 

[Mo City]

CNBC - hour ago:

It was so refreshing to hear Guy Adami admit he's fully clueless on evaluating TSLA.

I respect that.

 

[BornToFly]

Except the Bay Area is ignoring it completely.

Exactly. According to the Federal government, Fremont is essential business. The governor said to open manufacturing. But the Bay Area is doing it's own thing....

 

[Dan Detweiler]

You mean the CEO's unhinged rant about how a common sense, scientifically-informed response to a global health emergency is Fascism? I think you might be giving Elon a bit of a pass on the responsibility for this one.

Case in point. smh

Dan

 

[mickle]

I feel as shareholders we should support Elon. Does anyone in the Bay Area want to organize for a protest? Maybe drive around the Bay with a long procession of Tesla's with "Free America" signs in the window? or a protest somewhere around Fremont?

 

[Ameliorate]

I think you hit the nail on the head. The only thing I might add is that the evidence of much cleaner air during the shelter at home order has motivated Elon even moreso that the transition to sustainable transportation must happen as quickly as possible.

He's not making fidget spinners either, how many lives could another 10-20k teslas on the road for the next 50 years save? I'd suggest more than a couple.

 

[floydboy]

I hope he can get a grip on himself. He's entitled to his positions, but I wanted to hear news about Tesla's first quarter and the outlook for the future, not Elon railing against the current methodology of fighting this pandemic.

I gotta tell ya, this makes me concerned about battery day...

You heard both and I doubt this makes a hill of beans in regards to battery day.

 

[dl003]

the verge wasted no time.

Elon Musk says shelter-in-place orders during COVID-19 are ‘fascist’

With all due respect
F the Verge
Its a piece of trash that has always had a hard on for Tesla, day and night
And F SA too
Let them shortzes come
EM burned them thrice
He can do it again

 

[Pezpunk]

I feel as shareholders we should support Elon. Does anyone in the Bay Area want to organize for a protest? Maybe drive around the Bay with a long procession of Tesla's with "Free America" signs in the window? or a protest somewhere around Fremont?

yeahhhhh probably not a lot.

Poll: More than 70 percent of Americans support coronavirus stay-at-home orders