Why Tesla's First-Quarter Results Matter Less Than You Think

Tesla Motors is set to report its first-quarter-earnings results tomorrow after the bell. Shares of Tesla rallied earlier this week, after the company announced it hired Chris Porritt from Aston Martin for the role of Tesla vice president of vehicle engineering. The stock even climbed to a fresh high of $60 a share on Tuesday. However, with the stock up more than 100% in the last six months some traders think the stock will pull back on earnings. Here's why Tesla shareholders shouldn't put too much focus on Tesla's quarterly results.

We already know that the electric-vehicle maker is set to report its first quarterly profit ever as a public company. Becoming profitable is important because it proves that Tesla is a viable business. However, quarterly results are far less important for a company such as Tesla than they are for more established automakers.

"There is a need to think like a venture capitalist to value Tesla, given its position in a nascent market," according to Barclays analyst Brian A. Johnson. Tesla is a long-term play and only investors who plan to own shares for the next five or more years should own shares here. While quarterly results are important, they're not the whole story.

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The article Why Tesla's First-Quarter Results Matter Less Than You Think originally appeared on Fool.com.

Motley Fool contributor Tamara Rutter owns shares of Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool recommends Tesla Motors. The Motley Fool owns shares of Tesla Motors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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