Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations • Hacker News Board

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#81

Post by enraged_camel » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:36 PM UTC

count wrote: post #57

enraged_camel wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most amazing thing about your post is that 95% of your post went right over my head. And I consider myself a fairly intelligent person. :P (There's probably some interesting commentary in there somewhere about the complexity of financial markets and how it is probably bad for society to have a vast portion of our economic growth riding on something most people don't get.)

Here's the gist, in simplified terms. I assume you understand what stock and stock brokers are... You can 'short' a stock that you think is going to lose value (e.g. you expect a major earnings miss to be reported). Shorting a stock means you borrow a share from (generally) your broker at todays price. You then sell that share to someone else for market price. At a determined date, you have to buy another share at ma…

Thanks, I think I get it now. :)

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#82

Post by Shebanator » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:41 PM UTC

ncavig wrote: post #51

damoncali wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Forgive the unsolicited advice, but I think that's the wrong question. First ask yourself what you'd do with that information. Then think long and hard about indexing your money. Read up on portfolio theory and you will see that it's incredibly difficult (some say impossible) to beat the risk adjusted return of the market (at least not on purpose). It turns out if you are not in many stocks - 40+ (the exact number de…

FWIW I do have a strong majority of portfolio dedicated to index funds, and have automatic investing set up for those funds biweekly. But there do come times where I see a company, and after some due diligence I do see as a company I believe in and see prospering in the long. Tesla is one of those companies so I bought a fair amount 2 months ago. Regardless of solicited or not, I do agree with your advice and if noth…

I do the same thing in my IRA. Right now TSLA is the only individual stock I own, and it is a bit less than 10% of my account value. I bought it at $29 per share 9 months ago or so, knowing I might take a bath, but I believed in the company's long term business model then and I still do. I feel that this kind of investing minimizes the risk factor.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#83

Post by jfb » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:42 PM UTC

grecy wrote: post #24

rdl wrote: post #19

If you've been in Silicon Valley for the past 6 months, this was obviously going to happen -- virtually everyone I know who could afford virtually any production supercar, and cares about cars, has or wants a Tesla. Not an R8, not a GTR, not a California, not a Panamera, not an M3, but a Tesla. As they ramp up their production (I think it's down to a few months wait), The only rich people (who own cars) not getting T…

Does anyone driving any of those super cars you mention park on the street?

I've seen Johnny Ive's Aston Martin parked on the street in the Mission, along with more pedestrian 100k M5s, E63 AMGs, 911 Turbos, &c.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#84

Post by changdizzle » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:43 PM UTC

I refer to Elon Musk's tweet on April 25:

"Seems to be some stormy weather over in Shortville these days"

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/327446760219889665

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#85

Post by zevyoura » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:45 PM UTC

jonknee wrote: post #73

lambda wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> in every single regard (except for range) And price, and convenience. > more convenient No it's not. The lower range, low number of charging stations, and long charging times make it quite inconvenient for long trips. I bought a used car 3 years ago for less than the cost Tesla charges for replacing the batteries on its car (which you are estimated to need to do after about 8 years). This car is a station wagon, so…

> The Tesla Model S is an amazing car. But claiming that it's more convenient, or is a better car in every way but range, is a vast overstatement. It would be absolutely awful for me, and many other people with similar needs. Obviously convenience is different for different people. The OP is probably someone who finds car maintenance very inconvenient and as the owner of a used station wagon I am guessing you are not…

>If you don't take frequent road trips and have the ability to charge at home, the Model S is indeed very convenient--never have to worry about fuel and hardly ever have to worry about maintenance.

Doesn't the maintenance bit kind of remain to be seen? It seems to me there are two factors working against each other there: the high failure rates in new product categories, and the low failure rates associated with a simpler engine. I don't know that you can say which will win out yet.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#86

Post by sliverstorm » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:47 PM UTC

rdl wrote: post #19

If you've been in Silicon Valley for the past 6 months, this was obviously going to happen -- virtually everyone I know who could afford virtually any production supercar, and cares about cars, has or wants a Tesla. Not an R8, not a GTR, not a California, not a Panamera, not an M3, but a Tesla. As they ramp up their production (I think it's down to a few months wait), The only rich people (who own cars) not getting T…

I suspect some of this has to do with the newness and perceived scarcity. Once everyone who can afford a production supercar owns a Tesla, demand will fall back a bit.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#87

Post by Shebanator » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:49 PM UTC

anateus wrote: post #29

The last several months in Silicon Valley I do not remember the last time I went outside for more than 5 minutes and not seen a Tesla. I noticed about a week ago I stopped caring, much as I do not especially remark on noticing a Honda or a Ford. That's a good sign, though likely very geographically localized.

There are so many Model S's at google we call them "Palo Alto Camrys".

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#88

Post by JoeH » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:52 PM UTC

mikeyouse wrote: post #9

A good article to help understand the massive afterhours movement: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/autos-tesla-idUSL2... High-Level Summary: There was a ton of short-selling interest on TSLA (due to expectations of a big earnings miss). Almost 27% of the 115mm shares outstanding are currently being borrowed by short sellers. TSLA has more short interest by percentage than 98% of US stocks. Everyone was real…

I purchased a fair number of TSLA when they IPO'd, for a bit lower than the actual IPO price of $17. A little over a year ago, my brokerage offered to borrow my shares at 4% annual interest (paid on a monthly basis). I was told that I would retain the ability to trade the stock at any time, but I gave up my shareholder voting rights while the stock was "loaned" out.

I had never heard of that happening to small individual investors like me, and at that time I looked into it and learned that this was typically done because there was a lot of interest in short sales for the stock and there wasn't enough borrowable stock to cover demands.

I renew the loan agreement on a monthly basis and in March 2013 I was offered an increase from 4% to 6% interest for the loan of my shares, indicating that short-sellers were very eager to get their hands on TSLA stock.

I'm curious to see if today's activities cause my June offer to drop my interest rate or if the offer just expires altogether. I would guess that at minimum I'll see a lower interest rate.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#89

Post by timdorr » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:52 PM UTC

mrchucklepants wrote: post #14

cloudwalking wrote: post #8

This is the first of many profitable quarters for Tesla. The Model S is a better car in every single regard (except for range), than any other car on the market. It is safer, faster, roomier, more fun to drive, has more storage, quieter, more convenient, and less polluting. Electric vehicles will displace combustion vehicles. Everything that makes a car, the electric car does better. Right now the electric vehicle ma…

Everything but engine sound. I will miss the deep, throaty growl of a large V-8.

Closest you'll get is turning on the AC. Because the car's so quiet, I can hear (and feel) the rumble of the compressor running when I turn down the temp in the car.

Re: Tesla Smashes Earnings And Revenue Expectations

#90

Post by steveplace » Wed, May 08, 2013, 11:55 PM UTC

mikeyouse wrote: post #9

A good article to help understand the massive afterhours movement: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/autos-tesla-idUSL2... High-Level Summary: There was a ton of short-selling interest on TSLA (due to expectations of a big earnings miss). Almost 27% of the 115mm shares outstanding are currently being borrowed by short sellers. TSLA has more short interest by percentage than 98% of US stocks. Everyone was real…

Sweet, I was quoted in that article.

Seeing short squeezes in TSLA and GMCR aftermarket.