The Future of Tesla: What to Expect from Q1 2024 Earnings

Key Takeaways

• Tesla is set to announce its earnings for the first quarter of 2024 after the bell on Tuesday, April 23.
• Analysts expect Tesla’s adjusted profit to have fallen from the previous quarter and the prior-year period. Revenue is projected to come in below Q4 2023 but slightly above what was earned a year ago.
• The electric vehicle (EV) maker reported a decline in deliveries, which is seen dragging down earnings.
• Tesla is expected to provide updates on its product roadmap after Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk announced that the robotaxi would be unveiled in August.

Tesla (TSLA) is set to announce its first-quarter 2024 earnings after the bell on Tuesday, April 23, with declining deliveries expected to drag down revenue and investors looking for updates on the company’s product roadmap after setting a date for the launch of its robotaxi.

Analysts project Tesla’s revenue to come in at $23.44 billion for the first quarter of 2024, down from the previous quarter but up slightly from the year-ago period, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.

Adjusted net income is expected to be $2.05 billion, a decline from $2.49 billion last quarter and $2.93 billion in the prior-year quarter, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) are projected at 58 cents, compared with 71 cents in Q4 and 85 cents in last year’s first quarter.

Key Metric: Q1 2024 Deliveries Tumble

Tesla already reported delivery numbers for the first quarter of 2024 that fell short of analyst expectations, dragging down the stock.

The electric vehicle (EV) pioneer delivered 386,810 vehicles in the first quarter of 2024, down about 8.5% from the same period in 2023, which could reflect declining EV demand.

Wedbush Securities analysts said that “1Q deliveries was a nightmare quarter for Tesla with China and global EV demand remaining very soft coming out of the gates for 2024.” They noted that it “is a crucial period for CEO Elon Musk to navigate Tesla through this Category 5 demand storm.”

Business Spotlight: Product Roadmap After Robotaxi News

Musk on April 5 said that the company will unveil its robotaxi, a next-generation self-driving vehicle first mentioned in 2019, on Aug. 8.

“Musk has said in the past that Tesla will make a car without controls for human use, saying in the past that Full Self-Driving will reach a point of full autonomous use for taxi and driverless scenarios,” Wedbush analysts explained.

The robotaxi announcement came shortly after Musk denied a report that Tesla was abandoning its longstanding plan to create a low-priced EV, expected to be called the Model 2.

The analysts said that “Tesla right now is caught between ‘two waves of growth’ ” as “patience is starting to wear very thin among investors,” and that a robotaxi is “not the near-term answer.” Wedbush said that the firm “remain[s] long term bullish however this is a crucial few months ahead for Musk and Tesla to give the Street its blueprint for growth into 2025.”

Tesla was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index in the first quarter, and its shares have fallen more than 30% since the start of 2024.

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By staying informed about Tesla’s upcoming earnings and product roadmap, investors can better understand the company’s direction and potential growth opportunities. As Tesla navigates challenges in the EV market and unveils new innovations like the robotaxi, its ability to adapt and innovate will be crucial for its long-term success.