Tesla Motors (TSLA – Free Report) infused strong optimism after reporting blockbuster third-quarter 2024 results. The electric automaker reported its biggest quarterly profit in more than a year and issued upbeat forecasts for 2025. However, it lagged revenue estimates. Shares of Tesla popped up 12% in after-market hours, adding about $80 billion in market capitalization.
Investors seeking to tap the strong results could focus on ETFs having a substantial allocation to this luxury carmaker. These include Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL – Free Report) , ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK – Free Report) , Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY – Free Report) , Simplify Volt Robocar Disruption and Tech ETF (VCAR – Free Report) and ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ – Free Report) .
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Q3 Earnings in Focus
Adjusted earnings per share came in at 72 cents, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 58 cents and improving from the year-ago earnings of 66 cents. Revenues increased 8% year over year to $25.18 billion but were below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $25.57 billion.
Earlier this month, Tesla returned to delivery growth in the third quarter after two consecutive quarters of decline and reported the third-largest quarterly number in the company’s history. The return to growth shows that some of the incentives that Tesla had rolled out to boost demand are now paying off (read: Tesla Returns to Delivery Growth but Shares Slip: ETFs in Focus).
This leading electric carmaker delivered 462,890 (439,975 Model 3/Y and 22,915 other models) cars worldwide in the third quarter, up 6.4% year over. This marks the first quarter of year-over-year growth in 2024 and the third-largest quarterly number in the company’s history. However, delivery numbers fell short of the estimated 463,310, according to FactSet StreetAccount data. Tesla produced 469,796 (443,668 Model 3/Y and 26,128 other models) vehicles during the quarter.
Tesla delivered 1.29 million vehicles in the first nine months of this year.
Tesla remained focused on expanding its vehicle lineup, cutting costs and making investments in AI projects and production capacity despite uncertain demand and rivals pulling back on EV investments. The company has abandoned plans for a long-awaited $25,000 electric car. Instead, it will release lower-cost versions of its existing models priced below $30,000 after subsidies. These new models will be launched in the first half of 2025. Additionally, Tesla is working toward increasing production in the current quarter and said its new Cybertruck is on track to make a profit by the end of the year.
Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk expects vehicle sales to grow 20% to 30% next year, aided by improvements in autonomous technology and the launch of more affordable models.
ETFs to Tap
Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares (TSLL – Free Report)
With AUM of $2.1 billion, Direxion Daily TSLA Bull 2X Shares is by far the largest U.S.-listed single-stock ETF on the market. It offers 2 times (200%) the daily percentage change of the common stock of Tesla, charging 86 bps in annual fees (read: 10 Most Heavily Traded ETFs of Q3).
ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK – Free Report)
ARK Innovation ETF is an actively managed fund that invests in companies that benefit from the development of new products or services, technological improvements and advancements in scientific research related to the areas of DNA Technologies and Genomic Revolution, Automation, Robotics, Energy Storage, Artificial Intelligence, Next Generation Internet and Fintech Innovation. The fund holds 34 securities in its basket, with Tesla occupying the top spot at 13.1%. ARK Innovation ETF has gathered $5.5 billion in its asset base and charges 75 bps in fees per year from investors.
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLY – Free Report)
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund offers exposure to the broad consumer discretionary space by tracking the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector Index. Holding 50 securities in its basket, Tesla takes the second spot with 12.4% of the assets. Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund is the largest and most popular product in this space, with AUM of $19.8 billion and charges 9 bps in annual fees. It has a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy) with a Medium risk outlook (read: 5 ETF Strategies to Follow in Q4).
Simplify Volt Robocar Disruption and Tech ETF (VCAR – Free Report)
Simplify Volt Robocar Disruption and Tech ETF is an actively managed ETF seeking concentrated exposure to the leader of autonomous driving technology. It employs a call option overlay to seek boosts in performance during extreme moves up in Tesla while holding a tech index for diversification and put options as a hedge. Simplify Volt Robocar Disruption and Tech ETF charges investors 0.95% in annual fees. It has accumulated $5.2 million in its asset base.
ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF (ARKQ – Free Report)
ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF is an actively managed ETF seeking long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies that benefit from the development of products or services and technological improvement and advancements in scientific research related to energy, automation and manufacturing, materials, and transportation. This approach results in a basket of 37 stocks, with Tesla occupying the top spot with an 11.9% share. ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF has accumulated $788.7 million in its asset base and charges 75 bps in fees per year.