Global Automotive Stocks/EV Focus/Event Driven, SC Capital

SC Capital

Global Automotive Stocks/EV Focus/Event Driven

Over 22 years covering Japanese equities on both the sell side and the buy side. 

Bottom-up Japan Equities Research

Equity Bottom-Up

Tesla Inc. operates as a multinational automotive and clean energy company. The Company designs and manufactures electric vehicles, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar roof tiles, and related products and services. Tesla owns its sales and service network and sells electric power train components to other automobile manufacturers.

<ul>
<li>Tesla reported a 6% Q4 EPS beat, but stripping out a one-off deferred revenue booking &amp; higher than expected regulatory credits, Q4 results missed by 9%.  </li>
<li>Tesla rose +5.5% post market close after Musk said YTD orders are "2x" output. None of the data we have seen implies such demand, especially weekly China sales. </li>
<li>What went unnoticed on the earnings call is that Tesla created a $7bn credit facility this month, which should dash all hopes of them doing a share buyback in 2023. </li>
</ul>


Tesla reported a 6% Q4 EPS beat, but stripping out a one-off deferred revenue booking &amp; higher than expected regulatory credits, Q4 results missed by 9%.  
Tesla rose +5.5% post market close after Musk said YTD orders are "2x" output. None of the data we have seen implies such demand, especially weekly China sales. 
What went unnoticed on the earnings call is that Tesla created a $7bn credit facility this month, which should dash all hopes of them doing a share buyback in 2023. 


Tesla Q4 Miss Is Big & Sets the Stage for a Drop in 2023 Profits

Toyota Motor Corporation manufactures, sells, leases, and repairs passenger cars, trucks, buses, and their related parts worldwide. The Company also operates financing services through their subsidiaries. Toyota Motor builds homes, produces pleasure boats, and develops intelligent transportation systems including radar cruise control and electronic toll collection systems.

<ul>
<li>Toyota's Q2 EPS undershot estimates by 28%. FY3/23 guidance was kept flat, but given a more favorable assumption for forex tailwinds, Toyota effectively lowered FY3/23 EPS by 7%.  </li>
<li>Management partially admitted to parts of recent media reports that Toyota was overhauling its EV strategy.  Targets of 3.5m BEVs by 2030 are unchanged, but the ramp may be slower.</li>
<li>Toyota's 2H FY3/23 hurdles are low and its auto division's operating profits appear to be bottoming. Stock may still be a laggard, but we're bullish on a 12-month basis. </li>
</ul>


Toyota's Q2 EPS undershot estimates by 28%. FY3/23 guidance was kept flat, but given a more favorable assumption for forex tailwinds, Toyota effectively lowered FY3/23 EPS by 7%.  
Management partially admitted to parts of recent media reports that Toyota was overhauling its EV strategy.  Targets of 3.5m BEVs by 2030 are unchanged, but the ramp may be slower.
Toyota's 2H FY3/23 hurdles are low and its auto division's operating profits appear to be bottoming. Stock may still be a laggard, but we're bullish on a 12-month basis. 


Toyota's Q2 Is a Huge Miss; EV Strategy in Flux

<ul>
<li>Tesla's Q3 revenues missed by 2%, while GAAP EPS was in-line with consensus and adjusted EPS only beat by 5.4%. Tesla hasn't seen numbers this weak since Q4 2020.</li>
<li>The closely watched Autmotive gross margin (ex-ZEV credits) were much worse than expected at 26.8% versus consensus estimates of 27.5%. </li>
<li>On the earnings call, Musk said he would be buying Twitter. This will only add to the selling pressure from Tesla's weak Q3 results throughout next week. </li>
</ul>


Tesla's Q3 revenues missed by 2%, while GAAP EPS was in-line with consensus and adjusted EPS only beat by 5.4%. Tesla hasn't seen numbers this weak since Q4 2020.
The closely watched Autmotive gross margin (ex-ZEV credits) were much worse than expected at 26.8% versus consensus estimates of 27.5%. 
On the earnings call, Musk said he would be buying Twitter. This will only add to the selling pressure from Tesla's weak Q3 results throughout next week. 


Tesla's Q3 Results Disappoint for the First Time Since Q4 2020

<ul>
<li>Tesla will announce Q3 2022 earnings results after the US market close on October 19th. </li>
<li>Given that CEO Elon Musk needs to sell more of his Tesla shares to fund his Twitter buyout by month end, the Street widely expects a huge earnings beat. </li>
<li>Q3 fundamentals were weak for Tesla and orders in Q4 point to another delivery miss versus consensus. We recommend selling into any spike on a positive Q3 print. </li>
</ul>


Tesla will announce Q3 2022 earnings results after the US market close on October 19th. 
Given that CEO Elon Musk needs to sell more of his Tesla shares to fund his Twitter buyout by month end, the Street widely expects a huge earnings beat. 
Q3 fundamentals were weak for Tesla and orders in Q4 point to another delivery miss versus consensus. We recommend selling into any spike on a positive Q3 print. 


Tesla Q3 Earnings Preview--Beat Widely Expected Due to Musk's Twitter Deal

Faraday Future Intelligent Ele / Equity Bottom-Up

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. operates as a mobility ecosystem company. The Company develops mobility ecosystem that integrates clean energy, AI, internet, and usership models. Faraday Future Intelligent Electric serves customers worldwide.

<ul>
<li>Faraday Future (FF) saw a Q2 net loss of $142m &amp; cash fell by 56% QoQ to $121m. As of Aug-9th, cash sunk another 59% to $52m.</li>
<li>FF's recently lined up financing provides $52m, but comes in stages through late October, which could hinder its Q4 new flagship EV launch.</li>
<li>Risk statements regarding the launch of its new EV raise concerns about supplier relationships and marketing capabilities even if its first EV is launched in Q4. </li>
</ul>


Faraday Future (FF) saw a Q2 net loss of $142m &amp; cash fell by 56% QoQ to $121m. As of Aug-9th, cash sunk another 59% to $52m.
FF's recently lined up financing provides $52m, but comes in stages through late October, which could hinder its Q4 new flagship EV launch.
Risk statements regarding the launch of its new EV raise concerns about supplier relationships and marketing capabilities even if its first EV is launched in Q4. 


Faraday Future's Weak Q2 Results & Cash Risks Ahead of New EV Launch

SC Capital has over 20 years' experience covering the global automotive industry both on the Sell Side (UBS & Morgan Stanley) and Buy Side (Och-Ziff), along with a wealth of industry contacts. 

Current focus is on electric vehicle stocks & their supply chains. Aim is to identify the winners and losers from a long/short perspective. This includes close coverage of legacy automakers as well.  

From time to time. we cover opportunistic events with stocks in the manufacturing sector, food & beverage, healthcare and tech, where we also have coverage experience.