
This content does not constitute investment advice. The author currently holds no positions in any of the stocks referenced.
Tesla’s Revenue Decline: A Significant Setback
In early trading on Thursday, Tesla’s stock experienced a sharp drop of approximately 9 percent, driven by a substantial revenue downturn—the most severe in nearly a decade. This decline comes amidst forecasts of potential difficulties in the upcoming quarters.
Quarterly Revenue Analysis
Tesla’s second quarter of 2025 saw revenues of $22.496 billion, exceeding the consensus estimate of $21.934 billion compiled by investor relations. However, year-over-year figures reveal an alarming decline of 11.78 percent, marking the company’s steepest revenue drop in recent history.
Financial Performance Indicators
The electric vehicle (EV) titan reported a significant reduction in free cash flow, falling to just $146 million. Furthermore, for the first time in years, the company’s cash reserves also witnessed a decline, primarily influenced by a rise in tariff-related expenditures, which increased by approximately $300 million.
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Insights
In terms of profitability, Tesla reported an adjusted EPS of $0.40, surpassing analyst expectations of $0.39. However, removing the influence of roughly $400 million in ‘Other Income’ would have resulted in an EPS of only $0.33, which significantly missed consensus predictions.
Understanding ‘Other Income’
According to Tesla’s 10-Q filing, the ‘Other Income’ section aggregates various income components, including foreign exchange (FX) gains and losses as well as fluctuations in Bitcoin valuations.
Notably, our calculations suggest that over half—approximately $282 million—of the $400 million attributable to ‘Other Income’ originated from gains associated with Bitcoin revaluation.
Bitcoin Valuation Impact
On March 31, Tesla’s holding of 11, 509 BTC was valued at $950.055 million based on a closing price of $82, 548.91 per Bitcoin. By June 30, this valuation skyrocketed to $1.233 billion as the price surged to $107, 135.34 per BTC, resulting in a notable revaluation gain of about $282.965 million during that quarter.
To investors I spoke with, the biggest negative (and as I’ve warned for months) is that the new affordable vehicle will be nothing more than a stripped down Model Y at a lower price point. Absent a new form factor (e.g., hatchback, smaller pickup truck) a lower priced trim within… pic.twitter.com/Nhl3V3vRkJ
— Gary Black (@garyblack00) July 24, 2025
Concerns Over New Models
Tesla has confirmed that its newest model, which was highly anticipated for its affordability, turns out to be merely a more basic iteration of the Model Y. This revelation raises concerns about potential cannibalization of existing models without introducing distinct features or advantages from a new vehicle design.
AI Initiatives as a Bright Spot
Amid these challenges, Tesla’s investments in artificial intelligence technologies, such as robotaxis and the Optimus humanoid robots, remain a positive focus area. Elon Musk elaborated during the earnings call:
“I’m not saying we will, but we could — you know, Q4, Q1, maybe Q2, but once you get to autonomy at scale in the second half of next year, certainly by the end of next year, I think I’d be surprised if Tesla’s economics are not very compelling.”
These comments suggest a potential turning point for Tesla if autonomy technologies develop as projected.
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