Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is finally moving forward after its 2022 second-quarter earnings report. After weeks of speculation that the difficult quarter would lead to poor earnings, the company surprised Wall Street. Despite revenue falling off from the previous quarter, Tesla met analyst expectations and added more than $900 million to its balance sheet after selling 75% of its Bitcoin (BTC-USD) holdings.
“The electric automaker’s revenue took a significant quarter-over-quarter hit in Q2, falling from $18.76 billion in Q1 2022, but rose year-over-year from $11.95 billion,” reports Yahoo Finance. TSLA stock rose following the earnings release, and it’s poised to end the week in the green.
This has been a week of generally good news for the electric vehicle (EV) leader. With the earnings report safely in its rearview mirror, Tesla can focus on scaling production in the upcoming quarter.
But even as it gears up for what promises to be a better earnings period than the last, Tesla’s rivals are hard at work building new EVs. It is still uncertain how long Tesla can maintain its market share for. However, new data has shown in the subsector of luxury EVs, it remains the undisputed leader.
Let’s take a look at the week’s top TSLA stock stories investors should be reading.
Top Headlines for TSLA Stock Investors
1. Tesla shares jump on second-quarter report that was better than analysts feared
Many experts eyed Tesla with caution as the company prepared to report Q2 earnings. With the quarter marked by multiple factory shutdowns and grim statements from Elon Musk, it’s not hard to see why. But since Tesla topped Wall Street estimates in both revenue and earnings-per-share (EPS), many experts have reiterated their price targets. Dan Ives and John Katsingris of Wedbush noted, “The quarter was better than feared with healthy guidance for 2H by Musk & Co. that look achievable with no margin for error.” TSLA stock has been rising steadily since yesterday, taking it to 12% gains for the week.
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2. Tesla cashes out $936 million in Bitcoin, after a year of crypto turbulence
How did Tesla report positive earnings after such a turbulent quarter? As noted, it was primarily due to its Bitcoin fire sale. Some experts had expressed concern that plunging crypto prices would end up hurting TSLA stock. But Elon Musk saw an opportunity as the bearish energy spurred by the recent crypto crash started to clear. Tesla offloaded 75% of its BTC holdings, adding an additional $936 million to its balance sheet. However, it held onto its Dogecoin (DOGE-USD) assets, leading some experts to wonder if Musk has more faith in the meme token. The CEO did not say, but he did stress the sale should not be seen as a condemnation of Bitcoin.
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3. GM Will Finally Have Rival to Tesla’s Model Y With Blazer EV
General Motors (NYSE:GM) has been working hard to cut into Tesla’s market share by producing a lower-cost EV. The legacy automaker has announced it plans to start selling its Chevrolet Blazer EV next year. This electric SUV is intended to directly rival Tesla’s Model Y, its current bestseller in the category in the U.S. The summer 2023 release will be followed by the launch of the Chevy Silverado EV and Equinox. One analyst predicts the range of mass market EVs will give GM a profit advantage over competitors like Ford (NYSE:F), implying it could also mean less sales for Tesla.
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4. Tesla aims to start 4680 battery cell production at Gigafactory Texas this quarter
It isn’t just EV production that Tesla is focused on ramping up as Q3 takes shape. The company plans to start producing the 4680 battery cell before 2023 at Gigafactory Austin. There have been few updates provided in recent months regarding the battery pack and its innovative design. As Electrek reports, “This has been a concern for Tesla investors since the new battery technology is seen as critical to Tesla’s future vehicle programs.” However, the company’s senior vice president of powertrain and energy engineering has confirmed Tesla plans to begin production within the coming months.
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5. New registration data shows how Tesla is doing among luxury cars and EVs; here’s what’s catching up
Tesla may be facing increasing competition from GM, but its hold over U.S. markets isn’t shrinking. Recent data from Experian indicates 179,574 new Teslas were registered in the U.S. in January through May, 66% more than that quarter from the previous year. As MarketWatch reports, “Those aren’t numbers for electric cars. They’re numbers for cars. Tesla became America’s best-selling luxury automaker in the fourth quarter of 2021. Its lead over the field appears to be growing.” Indeed, it does — Tesla’s Model Y SUV and Model 3 were the top most-registered EVs in the U.S. during that period, finishing comfortably above the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
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On the date of publication, Samuel O’Brient did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
