Shares of Tesla (TSLA) are once again giving traders big daily moves. After the stock hit a 52-week low of $101, it bounced back above $210, and now it appears to be heading lower again.
The catalyst for the move lower was primarily the company's most recent earnings report, which, despite sales, revenue, and earnings all coming in strong, margins took a hit.
Tesla has dropped prices on its vehicles five times over the last year, so margins taking a hit should not have been as much of a surprise as it was to the market.
However, Tesla still has a strong market position and is still producing industry-leading margins. The issue is that those margins are shrinking, and at some point, Tesla may see its margins fall more in line with the rest of the auto industry.
We have seen these types are situations play out in other sectors as companies grow and mature. The best example I can think of is Whole Foods.
When Whole Foods was a young, fresh company, it commanded upwards of 5% margins on its products. But, as the company grew and the rest of the grocery industry noticed what Whole Foods could do with selling premium products and commanding higher margins, other grocery store chains began to offer similar products.
This competition for the customer naturally puts pressure on Whole Foods' margins, thus forcing them to lower prices and lose their high margins.
I believe the same story is now playing out with Tesla. At this time, it is clear that the world is moving away from combustion engine vehicles, although slower than some would like. And as consumers move towards more electric vehicles, more companies are offering alternatives to just buying a Tesla. Continue reading "Tesla (TSLA) - How Should You Play It?"
