Tesla's deliveries likely in focus after robotaxi event - Piper Sandler

Investing.com -- Tesla's much-anticipated unveiling of its "Cybercab" robotaxi last week has dented optimism that the offering will help boost results, according to analysts at Piper Sandler.

Shares in the electric vehicle giant slid by 8.8% on Friday after the event, which had sparked a surge in the stock when it was first announced in April, received tepid reviews. Investors were particularly disappointed that CEO Elon Musk's presentation of the Cybercab did not include strict timelines or specific financial details.

"We had been hopeful that the robotaxi unveiling would yield an excuse to boost estimates," the Piper Sandler analysts said in a note to clients on Sunday.

Still, they said the underwhelming event did not give them a "need for estimate cuts," adding they had always assumed that revenue from Tesla's full self-driving software would not begin to rap up until 2027 or 2028.

As a result, the Piper Sandler analysts said they are focusing on third-quarter deliveries when modeling their outlook for Tesla.

Earlier this month, the firm reported a smaller-than-expected uptick in deliveries for the period despite rolling out incentives and financing deals aimed at enticing cost-conscious consumers.

Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA ) handed over 462,890 cars in the July-September timeframe, rising by 6.4% compared to the prior year, but putting the business at risk of seeing its first-ever full-year decline in the figure.

However, seasonally strong demand in China, steadily increasing production of Tesla's Cybertruck, and a typical end-of-year delivery push are seen helping Tesla achieve deliveries of 465,586 units. Deliveries are also expected to be around 1.9 million units in 2025, representing around 8% of estimated year-on-year growth, thanks in part to higher demand stemming from lower interest rates and greater penetration in new regions.

"Investors' focus will likely shift back to deliveries — and maybe that's a good thing," the analysts said.

Source: Investing.com