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.com 

Tesla's deteriorating earnings and automotive revenue undermine its growth story. In Q3 2026, automotive revenue fell 3% year over year, operating income fell 56%, and diluted EPS fell 44%, while total revenue was flat. x.com 

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.com 

Tesla's car business is ex-growth and in decline, and its financial numbers are dire. Per the Q3 earnings breakdown quoted in the post, total revenue was flat, automotive revenue fell 3% year over year, net income fell 43% and free cash flow fell 62%. x.com  x.com 

Tesla's falling automotive revenue and shrinking energy business undermine its growth-company case. In Q3 2026, automotive revenue fell 3% year over year and energy revenue fell 16%; operating margin was 2.6%, and revenue missed expectations. These numbers are pathetic even for a mature business and embarrassing for a growth darling. SpaceX has to buy Tesla to mask a weak business inside a stronger one, as Musk did with SolarCity. x.com  x.com  x.com 

Tesla's seasonally strong fourth quarter makes shorting the stock here unattractive. A new bullish trend still needs a clear breakout above its 200-day moving average and price-channel resistance for confirmation. x.com 

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.com 

Tesla's declining operating income and margins make it crazy to invest at a 300x P/E. Per @scidood, operating income fell from $13.7B in 2022 to $4.4B in 2025 and stood at $2.1B through Q3 2026; operating margin fell from 16.8% in 2022 to 2.7% through Q3 2026. x.com 

Tesla's growing FSD subscriber base supports the longer-term autonomy case, but the AI build is taxing cash now. Paid FSD seats reached about 1.74 million, up 67%, while free cash flow fell 62% to $1.53 billion despite an EPS and sales beat. Post-report weakness is a discount discussion only for holders able to weather another weak cash quarter; check FSD net adds and FCF before leaning hard. A possible SpaceX combination is not part of this case. x.com 

Tesla's delivery beat is already priced in, making it bearish heading into Wednesday's earnings. Auto margins and FSD/Robotaxi are the key items to watch. x.com