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

[2daMoon]

If Elon really wanted "special glass", the first thing that comes to mind is bullet proof glass. And it would be perfectly appropriate for the company to pay for Elon's bullet proof glass if they had reason to believe there was a threat. It doesn't really matter where it was going, as long as Elon spends time there, it's an appropriate use of company funds. Because disrupting multiple multi-billion-dollar industries is hard, dangerous work and someone has to do it.

You are waaaay off.

It was a shot glass for Teslaquila.

 

[bkp_duke]

I apparently need to go backpacking more... haven't listened to the call yet, but earnings were a really nice surprise.

You are not allowed back until we cross $1200. Enjoy the adventure

 

[Singuy]

Here is the tweet thread from earlier today with his reasoning:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550413213023539200

Most unlikely when Tesla sold off BTC even though they had plenty of cash to generate more liquidity. It'll take awhile for Elon to feel comfortable about the economy and his own company to start deliquefying cash.

 

[henchman24]

You are not allowed back until we cross $1200. Enjoy the adventure

Hopefully this is not my future.

 

[StarFoxisDown!]

Macro's starting a recovery........but I expect TSLA be capped hard at 820

 

[AudubonB]

All the non-jocular speculation I've read here regarding the (apparently glass) acquisition probe has revolved around it being bulletproof glass.

Perhaps it is - that by itself does not demonstrate a Critical Person exemption. One can posit, inter alia, such was requested not for Mr Musk but for an ex-wife, for one or more offspring, and so forth. THAT would raise eyebrows and most certainly would be front & center for the Board's Ethics committee, with the discussion revolving around whether diminishing the prospect for pain and anguish for a Critical Person be the responsibility of the corporation.

Perhaps it is - but for Mr Musk himself. It boggles the mind that his venues - houses, automobiles etc. - already would not be so equipped. But if there is a new Latest & Greatest? Is Tesla Inc. responsible for such?


But perhaps it is not bulletproof glass at all. After all, there are any number of sources for such a product....they ALL are "out of supply" so to speak? Perhaps it is for electrochromic glass. Or a special soundproofing material. Those two possibilities, however, also instantly would go to the Board's Ethics Committee because alternatives - very, very mundane alternatives - exist and it would be supremely difficult to argue successfully that the functioning of a Critical Person could not be obtained by any of those other possibilities.

I post those not to pass judgment as I have no more inside information as to the whole story than do others. Rather, it is to dampen the judgment that, since Tesla needs Mr Musk, it behooves it to supply bulletproof glass.

 

[Knightshade]

Why do we think Model S/X should be kept for sentiment, a "halo" or advertising purposes? If this is all this line is good for, we should discontinue production at first convenience and make room for new products that have relevance to the company going forward. As it is, production is so inefficient that they are simply a waste of valuable space.

Ask Elon, he's the one who said on an earnings call a couple years ago:

The Model S and X are really niche -- they're really niche products. I mean, they're very expensive, made in low volume. To be totally frank, we're continuing to make them more for sentimental reasons than anything else. They're really of minor importance to the future.

 

[mongo]

All the non-jocular speculation I've read here regarding the (apparently glass) acquisition probe has revolved around it being bulletproof glass.

Perhaps it is - that by itself does not demonstrate a Critical Person exemption. One can posit, inter alia, such was requested not for Mr Musk but for an ex-wife, for one or more offspring, and so forth. THAT would raise eyebrows and most certainly would be front & center for the Board's Ethics committee, with the discussion revolving around whether diminishing the prospect for pain and anguish for a Critical Person be the responsibility of the corporation.

Perhaps it is - but for Mr Musk himself. It boggles the mind that his venues - houses, automobiles etc. - already would not be so equipped. But if there is a new Latest & Greatest? Is Tesla Inc. responsible for such?


But perhaps it is not bulletproof glass at all. After all, there are any number of sources for such a product....they ALL are "out of supply" so to speak? Perhaps it is for electrochromic glass. Or a special soundproofing material. Those two possibilities, however, also instantly would go to the Board's Ethics Committee because alternatives - very, very mundane alternatives - exist and it would be supremely difficult to argue successfully that the functioning of a Critical Person could not be obtained by any of those other possibilities.

I post those not to pass judgment as I have no more inside information as to the whole story than do others. Rather, it is to dampen the judgment that, since Tesla needs Mr Musk, it behooves it to supply bulletproof glass.

People, do we have any data to link Musk to the glass?
Or, is it only a hypothetical Bloomberg put in their report?

Investigators are trying to determine whether the glass was for Tesla Chief Executive Officer Musk’s personal use, people with knowledge of the matter said.

If this were an internal investigation, they could just call Elon and ask.

 

[ThisStockGood]

DEMAND UPDATE: Model 3 Standard Range, cheapest option, white color, 18" wheels, black seats: Pushed another month - delivery is now April - June 2023 for Germany and Denmark (possibly in all of EU - didn't check...)

 

[dhanson865]

Please no. He might understand the need to transition to EVs but his background is in the old ways of slow-moving beaurocracy and corruption.

I've gotten the impression from his interactions with Elon and his open meetings with VW management in the last couple of years that he was perfectly willing to drop everything and do it the Elon way.

I see no reason to exclude him if he wants to join Tesla. He just doesn't get to be CEO, he'll heave to join at a lower level and work where he is welcome.

 

[TheTalkingMule]

Here is the tweet thread from earlier today with his reasoning:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1550413213023539200

You wouldn't think Elon is likely to entertain a buyback, but would it really be all that different than retiring all long-term debt?

 

[Skryll]

You wouldn't think Elon is likely to entertain a buyback, but would it really be all that different than retiring all long-term debt?

Except, why retire long term debt if the interest rate is locked in at a low rate, while feds raise interest rates.

 

[Curt Renz]

On a joyful day like today, I find myself missing our @Curt Renz who has not posted for over more than a month?

Thanks for the good word. I was hospitalized with a broken hip, but returned home today. I am bad at using a phone as a computer. Now back on my PC with full-sized keyboard. Indeed, yesterday TSLA experiended a joyous ride. Now the TSLA train needs to keep chugging further uphill.

 

[bkp_duke]

Except, why retire long term debt if the interest rate is locked in at a low rate, while feds raise interest rates.

Because of Tesla's (manipulated) credit rating, their debt probably isn't at the best rates. Best guess is 7-9%, perhaps a tad lower on things like convertable notes. They can earn 3+% most likely on their cash, so that's a 10-12% spread.

I would pay off the debt, but I'm biased and debt averse.

 

[bkp_duke]

Thanks for the good word. I was hospitalized with a broken hip, but returned home today. I am bad at using a phone as a computer. Now back on my PC with full-sized keyboard. Indeed, yesterday TSLA experiended a joyous ride. Now the TSLA train needs to keep chugging further uphill.

Hope you heal up quickly!

 

[mongo]

You wouldn't think Elon is likely to entertain a buyback, but would it really be all that different than retiring all long-term debt?

Removing debt removes interest which boost profits.
Buying back stock boosts earnings per share, but not profit.
They basically have retired all the long term debt, the remainder is backed by physical assets (vehicle and solar financing) with costs passed to leasee.

 

[Krugerrand]

All the non-jocular speculation I've read here regarding the (apparently glass) acquisition probe has revolved around it being bulletproof glass.

Perhaps it is - that by itself does not demonstrate a Critical Person exemption. One can posit, inter alia, such was requested not for Mr Musk but for an ex-wife, for one or more offspring, and so forth. THAT would raise eyebrows and most certainly would be front & center for the Board's Ethics committee, with the discussion revolving around whether diminishing the prospect for pain and anguish for a Critical Person be the responsibility of the corporation.

Perhaps it is - but for Mr Musk himself. It boggles the mind that his venues - houses, automobiles etc. - already would not be so equipped. But if there is a new Latest & Greatest? Is Tesla Inc. responsible for such?


But perhaps it is not bulletproof glass at all. After all, there are any number of sources for such a product....they ALL are "out of supply" so to speak? Perhaps it is for electrochromic glass. Or a special soundproofing material. Those two possibilities, however, also instantly would go to the Board's Ethics Committee because alternatives - very, very mundane alternatives - exist and it would be supremely difficult to argue successfully that the functioning of a Critical Person could not be obtained by any of those other possibilities.

I post those not to pass judgment as I have no more inside information as to the whole story than do others. Rather, it is to dampen the judgment that, since Tesla needs Mr Musk, it behooves it to supply bulletproof glass.

I’ll sum it up even more logically. There’s no proof as of yet that it’s even for Elon. And certainly if he wanted some special glass for himself he wouldn’t have to, nor do I believe he would, put it through on a Tesla PO. He’d just personally call up the mfger and talk to that CEO.

People have already been fired according to the reports and his assistant dude is being investigated. Sounds to me something shady was going on that had nothing to do with Elon. Shady as in some employees were trying to get a product for themselves at Tesla’s expense.

 

[Gigapress]

Why do we think Model S/X should be kept for sentiment, a "halo" or advertising purposes? If this is all this line is good for, we should discontinue production at first convenience and make room for new products that have relevance to the company going forward. As it is, production is so inefficient that they are simply a waste of valuable space.

Panasonic supplies 18650 cells to Tesla which can only go into S&X. Tesla is about to be cell-constrained again soon, so the 18650 supply should continue to be used at full throttle.

Taking equipment out to put in new equipment costs time, money and attention, as does redesigning the cars. While it’s true that significant cost could be cut out of S&X production and more than 100k units could be sold at lower prices, it’s not worth the opportunity cost when engineering and other personnel can work on scaling 3&Y production faster and improving those products. Switching S&X to the latest technology would require a total revamp of the guts of the car.

With finite Gigapress supply from IDRA it’s best to use them for the highest-value purpose which is Model Y mass production.

S&X produce a meaningful amount of free cash flow. At current prices they probably make around $40k profit margin per unit, which at 100k per year is $4B extra income.

It makes more sense to expand Austin Berlin and Shanghai faster than to squander resources on revamping Fremont which is a terribly compromised facility in comparison to the new ones because it’s retrofitted.

 

[X Fan]

Plus VW & supplier pensions, probably far bigger

I remember seeing a report a few years back that they had over €30B of unfunded obligations....

 

[thesmokingman]

I remember seeing a report a few years back that they had over €30B of unfunded obligations....

Psst...

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

Robovan. MX Gullwing doors are impressive, but expensive and complex by Tesla's own admission...the real question is can Tesla put sliding doors on their van and still make it cool?

teslamotorsclub.com