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Tesla Valuation Questioned As Earnings Fall And Market Share Declines

An investor report from Macfarlane Investors LLC, circulated on X, contends that Tesla is significantly overvalued relative to its core business fundamentals.

Overwhelming Valuation Discrepancy

The report estimates Tesla’s market capitalization at around $1.5 trillion, implying a price-to-earnings multiple of roughly 376x. This level suggests investors are pricing in strong execution across areas such as autonomous driving, robotics, and energy storage, despite ongoing operational challenges.

Deteriorating Automotive Business Metrics

The analysis points to pressure in Tesla’s core automotive segment. Earnings per share have declined by 75% since 2023. The company has also reported its first revenue contraction since its IPO. Market share is also shifting. In the US, Tesla’s share of the electric vehicle market is projected to fall from 79% in 2020 to 46% by 2025. In Europe, it is expected to decline from 18% in 2023 to about 9% in 2025.

Intensifying Global Competition

Competition is increasing, particularly from companies such as BYD and Xiaomi. BYD now sells more than 600,000 additional vehicles annually compared to Tesla, reflecting growing pressure in the global EV market.

Robotaxi And Autonomous Efforts Under Scrutiny

The report also questions Tesla’s progress in autonomous driving. Observations in Austin suggest the unsupervised robotaxi fleet remains limited, with only one to two vehicles operating. In the Bay Area, some vehicles are still driven with human oversight. This indicates that full autonomy has not yet been achieved at scale.

Safety, Transparency, and Regulatory Challenges

The report raises concerns around safety metrics and regulatory progress. Tesla is estimated to have one incident per 57,000 miles when a safety monitor is present. Waymo reports one incident per 98,000 miles without human intervention. Regulatory timelines remain uncertain. Key permits in Texas are expected on May 28, 2026, while approval processes vary across regions. This suggests that robotaxi revenues may not scale before 2029 to 2031, compared to broader market expectations of 2027 to 2028.

Capital Expenditure And Future Outlook

The report states that a large part of Tesla’s valuation is based on future revenue from technologies that are not yet proven. Capital expenditure is expected to exceed $20 billion in 2026, which could pressure free cash flow in the near term. As one analyst noted, robotaxis could become a large market, but the timing remains uncertain. At current valuation levels, this creates a mismatch between expectations and delivery.

Meta’s $18 Billion Settlement Limits State Claims Over Children’s Data

Meta’s $18 billion settlement with attorneys general from 29 U.S. states includes a provision limiting future state claims over the company’s use of children’s data for age-assurance systems.

Under the agreement, Meta must develop, train and begin testing a system to identify users under 13 within a year of the settlement taking effect. The company already uses AI-based age-detection tools, although the agreement does not require the new system to use AI.

States Agree To Limits On Future Claims

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) generally restricts the collection and retention of personal data from children under 13. Under the settlement, the 29 state attorneys general agreed not to bring past, present or future claims under COPPA or similar state laws over the specified use of children’s data.

Meta will not be permitted to use information from users under 13 for advertising, marketing or algorithmic optimisation.

Federal Enforcement Remains Unclear

COPPA is primarily enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, which is not a party to the agreement. That leaves open the possibility of separate federal action over how Meta collects or uses children’s data.

Another issue is whether Meta can keep age-assurance data isolated from its other systems. An independent auditor will monitor compliance, but the settlement does not fully specify what data Meta can retain for training, how long it can be stored or whether derived insights can be used elsewhere.

Legal Risks Remain

Joshua Wurtzel, a partner at Schlam Stone & Dolan, said states could still pursue claims if Meta uses the data outside the settlement’s limits. Such cases could depend on how those limits are interpreted.

Peter Jackson, a data and intellectual property attorney at Greenberg Glusker, said the provision could “disincentivize future enforcement actions.”

The agreement gives Meta greater legal certainty around using children’s data for age assurance, but questions remain over federal enforcement, data retention and secondary use.

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