Each time Tesla appears in the specialized media, it automatically receives our attention, but this time the reason is not technical, but belongs entirely to the business world. Tesla's shares gained more than five points in the last hours, placing it above 303 dollars. That drives its market capitalization to about 53 billion dollars, surpassing two historic titans of the automotive industry like Ford and General Motors.
By the numbers
If one stops to study the cold hard numbers of both companies, it is difficult to draw a line of competition between Ford and Tesla. The best example is in net income: Ford earned 26 billion dollars in five years, while Tesla presents a loss of 2.3 billion in the same period. Something similar happens with the number of units (across the pond, the Ford F-series of trucks can deliver in three or four weeks the same number of cars that Tesla sells in a year), but once investors speak with their money, the market does nothing but follow the pace.
Tesla's shares are a hot item these days, and NASDAQ closed its value yesterday at 303.70 dollars, a jump of 5.18 dollars, or 1.74 percent. That translates into a market capitalization above 53 billion dollars. In Ford's case it's 45.190 billion, and GM was floating near 50 billion. What reasons are there for “a startup” (according to many experts) to be worth more than two giants with a century of experience on their shoulders? First, Tesla tells us a story about growth. In the first quarter of this year, the company delivered 25 thousand electric vehicles, and expects to maintain that level for the rest of the semester.
The Model 3 factor
And second... it's the Model 3. Economists have repeated ad nauseam that Tesla's shares respond to the “hope” that the Model 3 transmits with its price of 35 thousand dollars. The second half of 2017 will be critical, and not a few expect to see the Model 3 on the street.
(Editor's note: Business Insider indicates that GM remains above Tesla in market capitalization, but several sources contradict that data. I will keep editing as I receive more information.)
