DVB
Deep-Value Investor, Ex-Tech Executive, Agentic Equity Research Builder
Tesla is not a good buy now because none of its businesses justifies it yet. Robotaxi is slow to expand and carries low profit margins, EVs face heavy competition and declining margins, and Optimus is still far from market fit. The stock kept sliding after earnings. Buying makes more sense at a big moment of adoption, when paying a premium for a proven story is worth it. x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's 200x earnings multiple asks too much of weak current results and speculative future products. Third-quarter revenue fell 0.4% year over year and EBIT missed estimates by 25%, despite gross-margin and cash-flow beats. Robotaxis, humanoids and other future plans may have appeal, but impressive parts of the business do not make the stock worth its current price. x.com x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's stagnant car business and rising AI and robotics spending are squeezing current earnings before those bets have paid off. Q3 revenue was flat as auto sales slipped and regulatory credits collapsed; operating expenses rose 39%, operating income fell 56%, and EPS dropped from $0.43 to $0.24. The spend-now, profit-later strategy is testing investors' patience. x.comÂ
Tesla's Cybercab can scale far faster than Waymo, which underpins its long-term potential. The Cybercab is efficient and cheap to build, and Tesla can scale it into the millions quickly with US-sourced parts, while Waymo is inefficient, expensive and very hard to scale. Riders are proud to be seen in a Cybercab rather than hiding behind tinted glass. As @michbetancourt1 notes, Tesla is also building an energy backlog that could reach revenue from 2027; quick-profit seekers miss this potential. … Show more
Tesla's capital-intensive charging network will lack the reach of venue-based rivals, worsening its EV cost competitiveness. Its bidirectional-capable cars cost much more than competitors', and its Powerwall is also more expensive. Tesla has not yet surfaced a way to discharge from a car to the grid from anywhere and get paid, while rivals are working on one. x.com x.comÂ
Repeated promises without timely delivery make Tesla and SpaceX unattractive to own. Roadster is years late, Tesla Semi mass production has been repeatedly delayed, Optimus and Cybercab deployment trails promises, and Mars colonization deadlines have slipped. Tesla's auto margins and profits are under pressure. Execution matters more than hype. x.comÂ
Tesla's stronger gross margin and automotive revenue suggest its car business is healthier than bears expected. Gross margin was 19.6% versus 17.8% expected; automotive revenue beat by over $700M, following 486,532 deliveries versus roughly 462,000 expected. Total revenue missed slightly, likely outside autos. Cybercab, unsupervised FSD and Optimus remain the key call tests. Overweight, $697 target with 80% upside. x.com x.comÂ
Tesla's stock already prices in much of its long-term AI and autonomous driving potential, while its core auto business still faces declining deliveries and margin pressure. Most analysts rate it a Moderate Buy, but that tension limits the upside. x.comÂ
Tesla's valuation is too stretched to justify buying now. Slava cites a 189x forward P/E, falling Q3 deliveries, a 1.4% operating margin and negative free cash flow; other investments look preferable. x.comÂ
Tesla's engineering culture is still its biggest moat, and the low-volume Roadster could give it a huge marketing halo. The presentation also points to a powerful Tesla-SpaceX connection; robotics, AI and Full Self-Driving could make Tesla's future bigger than most investors realize. The car may arrive in 2028, but the narrative arrived last night. x.com x.comÂ
Tesla is rated Avoid amid the current AI sector selloff, alongside Cerebras, CoreWeave, IREN, bitcoin and the SpaceX IPO. x.comÂ