Tesla rocked by market panic but fundamentals remain strong as ever

Tesla stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) has taken a significant hit in recent weeks, dropping back to sub-$500 levels as of writing. Yet despite this sharp drop, it should be noted that Tesla’s fundamentals remain unchanged. This means that beyond the pressures on the market due to the coronavirus outbreak, the electric car maker’s business is just as strong as before.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to the economy, and this is true across the globe. Veteran automaker Volkswagen has announced that it is poised to suspend its vehicle production activities in Europe. The PSA Group has also shut down its European facilities. In the tech sector, companies like Apple and Facebook have been hit hard. Even entertainment giant Disney has shut down its parks and hotels. TSLA, being characteristically more volatile than other stocks, has felt this drop significantly.

That being said, the US market appears to have received a breather on Tuesday’s trading, with the Dow recovering over 1,100 points as of writing. Tesla stock, showcasing its trademark volatility, dropped as low as $396 per share, before rebounding to around $450 per share, about 1% higher than its $445 per share close on Monday.

There is no doubt that the global COVID-19 pandemic is affecting industries far beyond the tech and auto sector. Amidst this, it is pertinent to note that the recent dips in TSLA stock are more likely caused by the greater market’s reaction to the ongoing outbreak, not because of the company’s performance. Granted, Tesla will probably have a very challenging Q1 considering that the company cannot even do its usual end-of-quarter delivery push, but this is an issue that is not unique to the electric car maker.

In fact, Tesla is actually one of the automakers today that could probably weather a worldwide financial crisis. A lot of this has to do with the company’s decision to raise an extra $2 billion worth of capital in February. At the end of Q4 2019, Tesla had a healthy $6.3 billion in cash, but following February’s capital investment round, this was raised to $8.3 billion. This amount, the highest in the company’s history, will likely provide Tesla with ample runway to stay afloat as the global markets weather the pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As for its business, Tesla is poised to hit the ground running once the threat of the coronavirus is properly addressed. The company has just started its first deliveries of the Model Y crossover, a vehicle that may be its most successful yet. Tesla has also started ramping its efforts in China, which has already dealt with the first wave of the virus. If Tesla will be wise with its capital expenses, and if the company keeps its operations lean, it could very well emerge from this pandemic stronger than ever before.

As of writing, Tesla stock is trading +5.70% at $470.44 per share.

Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.

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