In an earnings release on Wednesday after the market close, electric vehicle giant Tesla (TSLA) confirmed that there was no change in their Bitcoin holdings for the fourth consecutive quarter. The net value of the company’s digital assets remained steady at $184 million, irrespective of Bitcoin’s market fluctuations.
The Bitcoin roller coaster ride
Tesla, under the aegis of its CEO, Elon Musk, first delved into Bitcoin in early 2021, purchasing $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency. This move sent shockwaves across the corporate and financial world, demonstrating a substantial endorsement for Bitcoin and driving its value skyward. Tesla even expressed intentions of accepting Bitcoin as payment for its electric vehicles.
However, the company’s trajectory with Bitcoin took an unexpected turn in Q2 of last year. Tesla offloaded roughly 75% of its Bitcoin holdings, which amounted to more than 30,000 bitcoins. This sale resulted in a cash inflow of $936 million for the company. The move generated considerable speculation about Tesla’s stance on Bitcoin, although the company’s holdings have remained unchanged since then, regardless of Bitcoin’s price swings.
The increase in Bitcoin’s price during Q2 2023 would typically result in a paper gain for Tesla’s digital asset holdings. However, current accounting rules prevent recognizing unrealized gains unless the assets are sold. This conservative approach ensures a more accurate representation of a company’s financial position by considering the current market value of assets. Nevertheless, it also means that companies can only immediately benefit from the appreciation of their digital assets once they decide to sell them.
Tesla continues to impress
Despite the intrigue surrounding their Bitcoin strategy, Tesla’s core business operations continue to surpass expectations. The company reported Q2 adjusted earnings per share of $0.91, beating the FactSet consensus estimate of $0.80. The firm’s revenue for the quarter also came in strong at $24.9 billion, outperforming analyst estimates of $24.2 billion.
Tesla’s share price rose 1% to $288.96 in after-hours trading following the release, contributing to an impressive annual increase of over 136%. Despite a subsequent drop of 3.44% in pre-market trading, Tesla’s strong performance and unconventional Bitcoin strategy continue to hold the market’s attention as it charts its path forward in the dynamic landscape of electric vehicles and cryptocurrency.
