How Low Can Tesla Go?

2022 Year-to-date shares of Tesla (TSLA) are down 66%. The question everyone is wondering is, "Can Tesla fall more?" The simple answer is yes. Any stock, even one with a cult-like following, can go to zero.

The question we should be asking is, when is Tesla stock fairly valued? Or even better, undervalued? Having an idea of what price Tesla should be valued at will give investors a better idea of when they should buy or sell. And really, the only time you buy or sell should be when a stock is overvalued or undervalued.

The problem is that valuing a stock is not cut and dry. Nearly every investor will inevitably come up with a different value for a stock, even if they are using the same data to do their valuations.

With that in mind, let us look at one way of valuing Tesla and determine if it is over, under, or fairly valued.

Today we will be using a comparison method of valuing Tesla. We will look at what Tesla does, compare its business to other companies operating in the same industry or industries, and determine if Tesla is appropriately valued based on its competitors.

Tesla is more than just a car company. I know you have all heard that before. Tesla considers itself a car company and an energy generation and storage company. So let us first compare Tesla to other solar energy generation and storage companies, and then we will tackle the car company side of the business.

A few years ago, Tesla purchased Solar City. A solar panel company that installs solar panels on residential and commercial buildings and has add-on battery storage components.

We can compare this side of Tesla's business to First Solar (FSLR). First Solar makes, installs, and maintains solar panels just like Solar City does for Tesla. First Solar is valued at just under $16 billion and has a price-to-earnings ratio of 165.

However, Tesla and Solar City also sell backup batteries that can be installed in a home. These batteries would be used during power outages or when solar panels aren't generating power, such as at night.

A comparison company for this would be Generac Holding (GNRC), which also sells power backup products, mainly generators, but they have battery backup systems for solar panels. Generac currently trades for $6.5 billion and trades at a P/E of 15, much more reasonable than First Solar. Continue reading "How Low Can Tesla Go?"

Electric Vehicle Exposure That's Not Tesla

Just a few years ago, it seemed that electric vehicles were never going to "catch on," whether that was because of price, possible reliability issues, or, most importantly, range anxiety. (Range anxiety is the fear that the electric vehicle will not have enough battery to reach its destination or the next charging station, ultimately leaving the driver stranded.)

But, better, much better battery technology, vastly more vehicle and brand options for consumers to pick from, and exponentially more charging stations located all over the country, have changed consumers' minds about the electric car.

While a large number of new, start-up car manufacturers are developing only electric vehicles, one significant change we are seeing is that almost every major car manufacturer is already offering fully electric vehicles or plans to do so in the next few years.

This is nice because we can get our iconic-looking vehicles in electric form; think the Ford F150 pickup truck, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, or even the gas-guzzling Hummer!

Most people don't like change. Thus changing the way a vehicle looks and what powers it may have been some of the reasons consumers didn't rush to get an electric car a few years ago but are now more willing to do so.

Regardless of the reason or reasons why more people are purchasing electric vehicles, the fact is, it appears electric vehicles are not only here to stay but may be the only type of cars on the road in just a few decades. This major shift in how we move from one place to another can also be a massive windfall for your portfolio.

Even though some people may feel they missed the EV investment because they didn't buy Tesla 5 years ago, there are still plenty of opportunities out there that you can put money into today and reap the rewards for decades to come.

Let's take a look at a few Exchange Traded Funds that will expose you to not just car manufacturers in the EV space but also crucial materials and technologies that EVs need to operate.

The first two are ETFs that focus on the production of electric vehicles and the future of transportation. The KraneShares Electric Vehicles and Future Mobility Index ETF (KARS) and the Fidelity Electric Vehicles and Future Transportation ETF (FDRV) invest in essentially the same companies. Continue reading "Electric Vehicle Exposure That's Not Tesla"

These Stocks Are Falling Knives

It is good to see a Head and Shoulders pattern in the making and to see it in the final stage is great luck. Fortunately, I spotted one such pattern in the chart of the Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)TSLA Weekly Chart

Source: TradingView

The stock price of Tesla has been trading in a big range between $180 and $414 after it managed to break above the Y2020 top of $167. Peak points were distributed unevenly as we can see the lower tops on both sides of the all-time high. This has shaped a notorious Head and Shoulders pattern on the weekly chart.

We saw this model in the Ethereum and AMD charts this year.

The model is clear; it has slightly up-sloping angle as the Right Shoulder is located higher than the Left Shoulder. A Neckline has been built through the valleys of the Head. The stock price has been hovering here for some time.

Last week, the market closed below the Neckline triggering the bearish signal.

The target of this pattern is located in the negative numbers area so I skipped it. Instead, I highlighted three potential supports that could stop the upcoming collapse.

The first support is located at the peak of August 2020 at $120. It was broken to the upside and then it was retested by a huge consolidation.

The next support comes from the top of February 2020 at $65. The price has been struggling to overcome it for a long time. The book value level of $13 is the ultimate support based on fundamental data. Continue reading "These Stocks Are Falling Knives"

Tesla (TSLA) Gets Booted from the ESG Index

On May 2nd, the S&P 500 removed Tesla (TSLA) from its ESG Index, which is short for environmental, social, and governance. In recent years ESG investing has grown in popularity as more and more investors push for companies to treat the environment and their stakeholders to a higher standard. But, Tesla, a company that many people would point to as the poster child of an environmentally-friendly company, is no longer on the S&P 500's list of companies that are considered environmentally friendly.

If you are confused, you are not alone. Let's take a deeper look at this change and how it could affect your investments.

The idea behind ESG investing is that only companies promoting environmental sustainability, low carbon emissions, green energy initiatives, and good waste management would meet the environmental sustainability aspect of ESG investing. However, the S&P 500 said that Tesla's "lack of low-carbon strategy" and "codes of business conduct" heavily factored into the decision. The S&P said that Tesla's factories produced very high levels of pollutants. Tesla ranked 22nd on last year's Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index, a list compiled by U-Mass Amherst Political Economy Research Institute. For context, ExxonMobil ranked 26th on that same list last year. Continue reading "Tesla (TSLA) Gets Booted from the ESG Index"

ETF Investors Should Know Their Tesla Exposure

Shares of the electric car manufacturer Tesla (TSLA) have undergone a meteoritical rise over the past few years, a move that very few investors have ever seen or experienced. Since late October 2019, Tesla has been up more than 1,680%, compared to the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), which is up just 59% over the same timeframe. The move Tesla has made is nothing but incredible, and congratulations to all those investors who had the foresight and fortune to have owned Tesla stock, either directly or through, and some sort of fund and have benefited from the move.

However, as with all investments, what goes up, can come down. And Tesla has undoubtedly seen this story play out over time as a publicly-traded company. Several times throughout its time, including this week, it has seen massive pullbacks and corrections, of course only to go even higher longer term. But that doesn't mean another move lower, like the 36% drop during a six-week period earlier in 2021, should be dismissed by investors.

Both long and short-term focused investors need to understand that stocks of even the best companies move higher and then lower, only to move higher again. And understanding this movement and knowing what the risk of an investment is and the potential return an investment has, is extremely important can help you invest smarter. Continue reading "ETF Investors Should Know Their Tesla Exposure"