Tesla's Chip Ambitions and Legal Woes Collide Ahead of Earnings
Published on 04/18/2026 at 07:01 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Tesla shares have staged a notable recovery, climbing over twelve percent in the past week. This rebound arrives just as the electric vehicle maker prepares to release its first-quarter results after the US market closes on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. The stock closed at 329.90 EUR on Friday, approaching its 50-day moving average of 335.20 EUR.
Driving the recent optimism is a significant hardware breakthrough. CEO Elon Musk confirmed the successful "tape-out" of the company's new AI5 chip in mid-April, finalizing its design and sending it to manufacturers. This development is a critical step for Tesla's ambitions in autonomous robotaxis and its humanoid Optimus robot, fueling its transition into an artificial intelligence platform. The Swiss bank UBS responded by upgrading its rating from "Sell" to "Neutral," citing Tesla's strengthening position as an AI platform. Following that news, the stock rose roughly three percent to $400.62 on April 17.
Behind this technological push is a major manufacturing initiative. Tesla is aggressively recruiting high-level semiconductor specialists in Taiwan, seeking nine engineers with expertise in areas like lithography and thin-film deposition. These hires will support the planned "Terafab" project, a vertically integrated chip fabrication joint venture in Austin, Texas. The project involves partners SpaceX, xAI, and Intel and aims to bring the complete in-house production of AI chips for robotics and high-performance computing online. Current job postings confirm the project's focus on bundling the development and packaging of proprietary semiconductors using advanced process technologies below the 7-nanometer class.
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This forward-looking vision, however, contrasts sharply with recent operational challenges. Tesla delivered approximately 358,000 vehicles in Q1 2026, representing a six percent year-over-year increase but falling short of market expectations for 370,000 units. The company now faces mounting legal pressures, particularly in Europe. A Dutch Tesla owner initiated a class-action lawsuit in mid-April over missing Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities on older Hardware-3 vehicles. The suit, with about 3,000 participants from 29 countries, seeks purchase price refunds and carries a disputed value exceeding six million euros. In total, more than 20 ongoing legal proceedings threaten the company with potential liabilities in the billions.
All eyes are now on Wednesday's financial report. Wall Street analysts anticipate revenue of around $21.4 billion for the quarter. Earnings per share are projected to land between $0.38 and $0.50, which would mark a potential 33 percent jump compared to the same period last year. Investors will scrutinize profitability metrics, hoping for a gross margin of up to 20 percent after several quarters of price cuts. The growing energy segment is also seen as a potential counterbalance to ongoing pricing pressure in the global EV market. Another key metric will be the progress of FSD subscriptions, which recently reached 1.1 million users.
Parallel to these financial and legal dynamics, Tesla continues its product expansion. Preparations for Cybercab production are underway at the Gigafactory in Texas, while the company plans a longer version of the Model Y for the Indian market, to be exported from its Shanghai plant.
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