Tesla Shares Drop Amid Falling Profits And Delayed Robotaxi Launch

Tesla's stock experienced a significant drop on Wednesday, plummeting by 12%, following a disappointing earnings report that highlighted declining profits amidst increasing competition and sluggish sales, as reported by ABC News. This latest financial release fell short of Wall Street's profit expectations, contributing to a broader narrative of challenges faced by the electric vehicle (EV) giant.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, acknowledged the intensified competition in the EV market, noting that rival companies have aggressively discounted their vehicles, which has impacted Tesla's market position. He stated to analysts, "There have been quite a few competing electric vehicles that have entered the market and mostly, they have not done well, but they have discounted their EVs quite substantially, which has made it more a bit difficult for Tesla."

This drop in Tesla's share price, which saw a 25% decline earlier in the year only to recover, now marks a new low, the lowest in over three weeks. The recent earnings results revealed two consecutive quarters of declining profits, with revenue from government credits rising to $890 million, forming a substantial portion of the company's earnings.

Critics, including Gordon Johnson of GLJ Research, suggest that Tesla's core business of vehicle sales is underperforming despite the financial support from government credits. Johnson emphasized, "What is the core business doing?" This criticism highlights the challenges Tesla faces as the demand for its vehicles wanes, partly due to the absence of a new, affordable model and a general softening in the EV market, according to ABC News.

On the other hand, some analysts remain optimistic about Tesla's future. Dan Ives from Wedbush pointed to potential gains from the development of autonomous vehicles, viewing the current financial setback as a temporary hurdle. "The next phase of the Tesla growth story is around autonomous, Robotaxis, and AI playing out for Musk & Co. in our view and that vision is on the doorstep," Ives commented in a note to investors.

Despite the financial struggles, Musk assured analysts of significant progress in Tesla's full self-driving software, predicting substantial improvements in customer experience. However, this optimism is tempered by recent recalls of millions of vehicles due to safety issues with Tesla's autopilot and self-driving systems.

Financial Times also reported on Tesla's tumbling shares, attributing the decline to slower sales and rising costs from employee layoffs and investments in AI infrastructure. Tesla's net income for the second quarter fell by 45% to $1.47 billion, significantly missing the analysts' forecast of $1.9 billion. Musk also delayed the launch of Tesla's robotaxi service to October, despite previously promising a transformation of Tesla's market value through this autonomous fleet initiative.

While Tesla's revenues slightly exceeded expectations at $25.5 billion, largely thanks to regulatory credits and growth in its energy storage business, the company's operating expenses surged by 39% to nearly $3 billion. This increase in costs is partly due to Tesla's extensive investment in its AI infrastructure and the expansion of its gigafactory in Texas.

Despite these challenges, Musk remains focused on the development of the autonomous taxi service and other innovations such as the Optimus humanoid robot, which he claims is already performing tasks in Tesla factories and is set for limited production next year.

Tesla's sales figures have shown resilience, with nearly 444,000 EVs delivered between April and June, maintaining its position as the leading EV company ahead of China's BYD. However, the financial and competitive pressures highlight the complex landscape Tesla navigates as it strives to maintain its innovative edge and market leadership.

In a broader context, Musk's influence extends beyond Tesla. He recently won contentious votes at the company's annual meeting and pledged to move his other ventures, including SpaceX, to Texas. His support for former President Donald Trump also marks a significant political stance, with potential implications for the EV industry, especially given Trump's past criticisms of federal support for EVs.