ThoseAutomotive industry –Forget cars! It is the robots that raise Tesla’s actions
The titles of the Elon Musk firm have progressed a lot for ten days, despite sales of disappointing cars. What’s going on?
Posted today at 2:19 p.m.
The unexpected increase in Tesla’s share on the stock market is linked to robotics and artificial intelligence.
VCG via Getty Images
Subscribe now and take advantage of the audio reading function.
- Tesla actions climb despite disappointing financial results in the first quarter.
- The explanation of this unexpected increase is linked to robotics and artificial intelligence.
- Analysts provide a colossal market for humanoid robots by 2050.
- Tesla’s Robotaxi project arouses great interest among investors.
It’s hard to believe, seen from Europe, where the popularity of Elon Musk is at the bottom. But the Tesla actions are in the midst of a comeback. While this title had plunged 221 dollars in early April, after disappointing quarterly results, the action jumped at the end of the month.
After ten days of continuous increase, the title pointed to 287 dollars on Friday at the end. The embellish is clear, even if it is still far from the $ 436 in December 2024, shortly after the election of Donald Trump as the Presidency of the United States.
Everything seems against Musk
This takeoff, a spacex rocket way, is all the more surprising since the news seems unfavorable to Elon Musk. The war of customs tariffs initiated by the American president is bad for business. Indeed, if Tesla anyway in the United States, the firm is still faced with customs duties on imported parts.
On April 30, Elon Musk went to the White House with several caps on her head, an allusion to the large number of companies and political functions he currently occupies. And which should decrease a little, with its next distance from politics.
IMAGO/ZUMA PRESS WIRE
Added to this is the unpopularity of Elon Musk, Since his commitment to politics alongside President Trump. And also the increasingly pressing competition of Chinese electric cars, especially byd.
For the first time in 21 years of history, Deliveries of Tesla cars fell in 2024, and this trend was confirmed in early 2025. The result is disappointing figures. For the first quarter of the year, Tesla announced a profit of $ 399 million, down 65% compared to last year, and much lower than the 900 million expected by Wall Street.
This robot called Optimus is one of Tesla’s flagship projects, excluding cars. Tesla Bot
Imago/Mis
We didn’t understand anything in Tesla
And yet, the action has started up. How to explain this reversal of the situation? Barron’s letter, very read in the financial community, assures that we did not understand anything in Tesla. According to this American source, “robots are greater than customs duties”.
The machines that would be decisive for the future of the American firm are in particular the Cybercab, or Robotaxi concept, this car piloted by an artificial intelligence, which should run in Texas in the coming months. And also the Optimus humanoid robots which are in preparation at Tesla.
At this point, you will find additional external content. If you accept that cookies are placed by external suppliers and that personal data are transmitted to them, you must allow all cookies and directly display external content.Allow cookiesMore info
The invasion of humanoid robots
For Adam Jonas, analyst at Morgan Stanley, “there will be a billion humanoid robots in activity around 2050. The size of this market will be $ 5,000 billion per year, twice the size of the current automotive market.” The analyst still believes that China will be one of the leaders in this area, but that Tesla will also be a “Big Player”.
Joseph Spak, analyst at UBS, share this opinion. “The market no longer considers Tesla as a car manufacturer, but rather as an artificial intelligence company.”
-Better than the mobile phone?
Obviously, Elon Musk is not to be outdone, when it comes to delivering ultraoptimistic forecasts on one of his activities. “Tesla is undoubtedly the largest robotics company in the world. Because our cars are semi-sensitive robots on roads. ”
At this point, you will find additional external content. If you accept that cookies are placed by external suppliers and that personal data are transmitted to them, you must allow all cookies and directly display external content.Allow cookiesMore info
According to the CEO with multiple caps, which recently staged its hyperactive side at the White House, “the only company that has all the assets to make large-scale smart humanoid robots will be Tesla. I think optimus (Editor’s note: its robot that looks like a gray version of C3P0 in Star Wars) will be a hit 10 times greater than the largest product ever made. ”
Seen from Europe, it may surprise. But unpopularity does not explain everything in economics. Especially not an unexpected increase in actions.
Cybercab, or Robotaxi, is another highly anticipated Tesla product, which must restart sales of electric cars.
BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGES/DAVID PAUL MORRIS
Valérie Noël: “The markets anticipate what could happen tomorrow”
Valérie Noël, trading manager at Syz bank.
DR
Tesla seems in difficulty, with disappointing results and a tense international context, especially with China. However, the title has been going back for ten days. What should be understood?
Valérie Noël, trading manager at Banque Syz: Indeed, Tesla’s latest financial results have surprised negatively: fewer cars delivered, declining margins and more vague visibility. Added to this is the uncertain climate of trade relations between the United States and China, a key market for Tesla. However, the action is raised. It is sometimes the paradox of the markets: they do not necessarily anticipate what is visible today, but what could happen tomorrow. Some investors may focus on a technical rebound or on announcements to come around strategic projects, such as on-board artificial intelligence or autonomous vehicles.
Could this increase be explained by a withdrawal from Elon Musk from the political debate?
This is a hypothesis that some evoke. Elon Musk is a “controversial” figure: his involvement in certain political debates has sometimes fueled tensions with part of the investors or the public. A refocusing on Tesla and technology could therefore be perceived as positive. But on the stock market, the course movements are rarely linked to a single cause. It is difficult to know if this factor has really weighed in the recent increase. Note that the appointment of a new CEO of Tesla was also mentioned (notably by the “Wall Street Journal”) but quickly denied by Elon Musk in person.
A large investor recently wrote: “Robots are more important than customs duties.” What does that mean?
This is a way of saying that the technological future of Tesla, especially around robotics, automation and artificial intelligence, is considered more strategic than cyclical vagaries such as customs duties. Clearly: it would be a long -term vision that would prevail over short -term turbulence. But this optimistic reading is not unanimous: it is based on ambitious technological bets, which are not yet all concretized.
Some evoke positive signals on the Robotaxi project. Has it been able to influence the action?
Robotaxi is one of the most emblematic – and most anticipated – Tesla projects. These would be fully autonomous vehicles, capable of circulating without driver. Whenever rumors circulate on an advance or an upcoming announcement, this can stir up the interest of investors. That said, even if the subject fascinates, there are many technical, regulatory and commercial challenges.
Jocelyn Rochat worked for the new daily, the Journal de Genève, the Hebdo and Télétop morning. He now writes in the morning on Sunday, the Genève platform and 24 hours. More info
Did you find an error? Please report it to us.
6 comments
