Opinions
Brooke Thackray
Tesla Inc
TSLA-Q
BUY
Dec 05, 2024
Stock price when the opinion was issued
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Highly controversial and polarizing name. Big hit recently, but that's after a big run last year. Overvalued as an automotive company. Massive brand destruction by Musk.
But if you're looking at it for robotaxis, deserves a different valuation; essentially a call option on that future. How confident are you? You have every right to be skeptical, as they haven't delivered. Underlying architecture has changed, and they have a shot at getting there. Wait to see what happens at the demo in a few months. If they fail to deliver (again), stock will go lower; if they make progress, stock will rerate and you should consider buying for the long term.
He thinks Musk will hang around Washington no longer than end-June, then will return to work. Cars make up 70-80% of company revenues, which will change. They lead in gen AI. Next year, though, agentic AI and robotics will be the new theme in tech. Musk promises 20,000-30,000 Tesla robotics will be sold next year. Robots are used in car factories, but will be used one day in homes for housework.
The problem is this trades on sentiment, not fundamentals. Of course, the issue now is Musk. Probably, enough people not buying their cars will impact their sales. Also, a Chinese competitor is outselling Tesla. The valuation remains a premium, but would you own such a company at this level with slower sales and this sentiment? He's rather see Tesla at $200 then take a look at it, and even then would buy a tranche.
Its reputation has taken a hit this year due to Musk's highly polarizing involvement with Trump. This has taken the robotaxi story off the table, allowing Uber to roar. But robotaxis were never a threat to Uber in the first place. He still thinks Tesla has an edge given Musk's relationship with Trump, but he didn't expect this much public backlash against Musk/Tesla.
Funny that people who bought a year ago have to attach explanatory bumper stickers. If it's going to be a good buy at $200-225, it's a good buy at $265; you're buying it for the longer term. He can't come to terms with the valuation.
If you decide you want to buy, put in 10% today, and you'll feel better. If you've wanted it for a long time, and you don't pull the trigger today, you'll forever hesitate. It's just psychology.
His father has a wonderful expression, "It's the second mouse that gets the cheese." Not sure tariffs are enough to provide continuing support for an EV car maker when the Chinese are doing it so much cheaper.
Shares are cut in half from highs. Bulls say that Trump's close relationship with Musk should give Tesla a big advantage in self-driving cars and robots. But Tesla's core car business has collapsed and tariffs will be awful. Is the most expensive Mag 7 stock, trading at 87x PE. He can't trust their estimates--their car business is in such bad shape.
Musk is a remarkable entrepreneur, but there's a lot of promotion involved. Right, particularly in the US, the people driving Teslas aren't happy, given DOGE and the White House. We see the backlash with protests. If Tesla survives 10 years, there will probably be a lot of revenue from self-driving cards, but Tesla has to get there. The brand has fallen out of favour. If things go badly in the White House, it would reflect more badly on the company, because Musk is so tied to the White House.
As a car company, never made sense to pay the demanding multiple. So an investor has to put faith in the technology side, and he's not comfortable with that. Musk is in the news big time, and he's not gaining any friends. International blowback against TSLA and Musk, reputational risk. Sales numbers weak.
Huge base forming for over a year, and we've broken above that. Positive development. Now back to where we were in 2022. When it breaks out, tend to go with it as long as it's rising.