DeepTech315: Tesla Earnings / Google Earnings / SearchGPT

Deepwater Asset Management
25 Jul 202414:13

TLDRDeep Tech 315 discusses Tesla's earnings, noting a miss on gross margins and the upcoming launch of new models. Elon Musk emphasizes the importance of autonomy for Tesla's future. Google's earnings are in line with expectations, yet the stock dips due to concerns about capex and future growth. The conversation also touches on the potential impact of OpenAI's new search product, SearchGPT, on Google's market dominance.

Takeaways

  • 🚗 Tesla reported a miss on the bottom line and gross margins, which were significantly below expectations, leading to a stock dip.
  • 🔮 There's a focus on Tesla's future with the anticipation of new models and advancements in Full Self-Driving (FSD) and the Optimus robotaxi project.
  • 🗓️ Production of Tesla's next-generation vehicle, which will precede the robo taxi, is now expected to start around mid-2025, indicating a slight delay from earlier projections.
  • 🌐 Elon Musk emphasizes that achieving autonomy is the key to Tesla's future, suggesting that everything else is secondary.
  • 🤔 There's an ongoing debate about the real demand in the EV market and Tesla's ability to maintain its lead in the face of increasing competition.
  • 📉 Tesla's stock took a hit, dropping by 13.3%, partly due to concerns about demand and gross margins, and partly due to broader market trends affecting big tech.
  • 📈 Google reported earnings in line with expectations, with a slight beat on operating profit, but the stock reacted with a modest increase, reflecting a cautious market.
  • 🛠️ Google's comments on capex spending and its potential implications for future investment in AI have raised questions about the company's direction and growth.
  • 🧩 The discussion suggests that big tech companies are investing heavily in AI, with the understanding that it will be a significant driver of future growth and value.
  • 🔍 OpenAI's announcement of a search product has caused some market fluctuation, but the impact on Google's search dominance is likely to be minimal in the short term.
  • 💡 The overarching theme is that AI represents a major technological paradigm shift, with significant implications for the companies that can successfully capitalize on it.

Q & A

  • What was Tesla's performance in terms of gross margins in their recent earnings report?

    -Tesla's gross margins came in at 14.6%, which was 200 basis points below what the street expected. This was a significant miss, and in a normal quarter, such a miss would typically lead to a stock price drop of 15-20%.

  • What is the significance of Tesla's upcoming new models and their potential impact on the company's future?

    -Tesla is expected to announce two or three new models in October. These new models, along with advancements in FSD fleets and autonomy, are crucial for Tesla's future growth. The company also hinted at the introduction of a 'robo tax' following the next generation vehicle, which is expected to start production around mid-2025.

  • How did Elon Musk's comments on Tesla's future focus on autonomy affect the market's perception of the company?

    -Elon Musk reiterated that Tesla's future hinges on achieving autonomy, stating that everything else is 'noise'. This focus on long-term goals like autonomy, rather than immediate financial performance, can be polarizing for investors, potentially leading to volatility in Tesla's stock price.

  • What was the market's reaction to Tesla's earnings report and what factors contributed to this reaction?

    -Tesla's stock took a hit, falling by 13.3%. This was largely due to the miss on gross margins and the uncertainty around the demand in the EV space, as well as the potential for further price adjustments to meet demand.

  • How does the discussion of Tesla's earnings relate to the broader context of the electric vehicle market?

    -The discussion highlights the fundamental questions around the real demand in the EV space and the potential for Tesla to continue leading the market. It also touches on the broader implications for other automakers and the competitive landscape in the EV industry.

  • What were Google's earnings results and how did they compare to expectations?

    -Google's earnings came in line with expectations, with operating profit beating estimates by 7%. However, the stock only rose a couple of percent in after-hours trading, indicating a muted market reaction.

  • What challenges did Google face in their recent earnings report and how did they address them?

    -Google faced some tough comparisons and a slight dip in margins due to product forward-peddling and changes in depreciation. They also had confusing comments about capex, which exceeded analyst expectations but was framed in a way that suggested a potential slowdown in capital expenditures.

  • How is Google's investment in AI and capex likely to impact their future growth and the broader tech industry?

    -Google's significant investment in AI and capex, along with other major tech companies, is expected to drive future growth. This investment is crucial for positioning these companies for the next technological paradigm shift, which could significantly move the needle in terms of revenue and market share.

  • What is the potential impact of OpenAI's new search product on Google's search dominance?

    -While the introduction of OpenAI's search product might cause some initial market reaction, it is unlikely to significantly disrupt Google's dominance unless it offers a significantly better user experience or a 10x improvement over existing search technologies.

  • How do the discussions around Tesla and Google's earnings reflect broader trends in the tech industry?

    -The discussions highlight the importance of innovation and long-term investment in technology for companies like Tesla and Google. It also underscores the volatility and uncertainty in the tech industry, where short-term financial performance can be overshadowed by long-term strategic goals.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Tesla Earnings and Future Prospects

The first topic of the video script discusses Tesla's recent earnings report, highlighting a miss on the bottom line and a gross margin of 14.6%, which is lower than expected. Despite this, the focus is on Tesla's future, including new models expected in October and advancements in Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology. The script also mentions the potential for a 'robo tax' following the next generation of vehicles, with production starting around mid-2025, slightly later than previously anticipated. The stock's reaction to the earnings is noted, with a 13.3% drop, and the conversation touches on the broader market sentiment towards big tech stocks and the fundamental questions about demand in the EV space.

05:01

🔍 Google's Earnings and AI Investment

The second paragraph delves into Google's earnings, which met expectations with a slight beat on operating profit. The discussion includes Google's comments on tough comparisons, a temporary dip in margins, and some confusion around capital expenditures (capex). The script suggests that investors might be looking for reasons to sell big tech stocks, and the reaction to Google's earnings is analyzed. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of AI investment, with references to Mark Zuckerberg's comments on the importance of being ahead in AI technology. The importance of capex in understanding the AI trade and the potential for AI to be a significant technological paradigm shift is emphasized.

10:01

🤖 Open AI's Search Product and Market Reaction

The final paragraph addresses the breaking news of Open AI launching a search product, which has been rumored for some time. The script discusses the potential impact on Google, suggesting that the new product does not appear to be significantly better than Google's offerings to warrant a mass shift in user behavior. The conversation speculates on the monetization strategy for Open AI's search product, possibly mirroring Google's approach with contextual ads. The script concludes by noting the stock market's initial reaction to the news, with Google's stock dipping slightly, but ultimately suggesting that this development is likely to be a temporary distraction rather than a significant threat to Google's search dominance.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Tesla Earnings

Tesla Earnings refers to the financial performance of Tesla, Inc., specifically its profits or losses over a given period. In the video's context, it highlights Tesla's miss on the bottom line and the impact on gross margins due to EV credits. This is a central theme as it discusses the implications for Tesla's stock and future business strategies, such as the introduction of new models and advancements in Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology.

💡Gross Margins

Gross margins represent the percentage of revenue that a company retains as gross profit. In the script, it is mentioned that Tesla's gross margins came in lower than expected, which is a significant metric for investors as it reflects the company's pricing strategy and cost management. The lower gross margins could indicate challenges in Tesla's core business operations.

💡EV Credits

EV credits, or electric vehicle credits, are incentives provided by governments to encourage the production and sale of electric vehicles. The script mentions that Tesla's gross margins were affected by these credits, suggesting that a portion of the company's revenue comes from government incentives rather than pure sales.

💡Autonomy

Autonomy in the context of the video refers to self-driving technology. Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, is quoted as saying that achieving full autonomy is the ultimate goal for Tesla, and everything else is secondary. This underscores the importance of developing advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicles for the company's long-term success.

💡Robo Taxi

Robo Taxi refers to autonomous taxis that operate without a human driver. The script discusses Tesla's plans for a robo taxi service, which is expected to use a new manufacturing approach and is anticipated to launch around 2025-2027. This concept is tied to Tesla's broader ambition in the autonomous vehicle space.

💡FSD Fleets

FSD Fleets refer to fleets of vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving capabilities. The script mentions that Tesla's future plans involve the expansion of its FSD fleet, which is a critical aspect of its strategy to achieve autonomy and potentially disrupt the transportation industry.

💡Google Earnings

Google Earnings pertain to the financial results of Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. The video discusses Google's earnings report, noting that while they met expectations, there were concerns about future capital expenditures and the potential impact on the company's stock price.

💡CAPEX

CAPEX stands for capital expenditures, which are funds used by a company to acquire, maintain, or improve its fixed assets. In the script, Google's CAPEX is discussed in the context of its investment in AI and future growth, with some investors interpreting the company's comments as a sign of slowing investment.

💡AI Cycle

The AI Cycle refers to the period of growth and development in the artificial intelligence industry. The video suggests that we are in the early stages of this cycle, with significant investments being made by tech companies like Google and Meta in anticipation of AI's transformative potential.

💡SearchGPT

SearchGPT is a new search product developed by OpenAI, which is expected to compete with Google's search engine. The video discusses the potential impact of SearchGPT on Google, suggesting that unless it offers a significantly better user experience, it may not attract users away from Google's established search platform.

Highlights

Tesla reported a miss on the bottom line, with gross margins at 14.6%, which is 200 basis points below expectations.

Tesla's new models and advancements in FSD fleets and autonomy are central to the company's future prospects.

Elon Musk's recent comments suggest a delay in the production start of the next-generation vehicle, moving from early 2025 to mid-2025.

The new unboxed manufacturing approach for the robo taxi indicates a larger production buildout and a potential late 2026 or early 2027 release.

Tesla's stock fell 13.3% following the earnings report, reflecting concerns about demand in the EV market and gross margin erosion.

Elon Musk emphasized that achieving autonomy is the key to Tesla's future, suggesting that everything else is secondary.

There is a debate on whether Tesla's current challenges in the EV market will persist and affect the company's valuation.

Google reported earnings in line with expectations, with a 7% beat on operating profit, but the stock only rose slightly in after-hours trading.

Google's comments on capex suggest a potential slowdown in capital expenditures, which could impact the company's growth trajectory.

Investors are looking for reasons to sell big tech, which may be contributing to the market's reaction to Google's earnings.

Mark Zuckerberg's comments highlight the importance of being ahead in AI to secure a company's position for the next 10 to 15 years.

The MAG 6 (Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Apple) are expected to spend $225 billion on capex this year, reflecting significant investment in AI.

The AI bull market is still in its early stages, and companies need to invest ahead of the curve to be ready for the technological shift.

OpenAI's announcement of a search product has caused a dip in Google's shares, but the impact on user behavior remains to be seen.

The search product from OpenAI, named SearchGPT, does not appear to be significantly better than Google's AI overviews to warrant a major shift in user behavior.

The monetization strategy for OpenAI's search product is not yet clear, but it is speculated to be similar to Google's approach with ads in the stream.