Getty Images/Joshua Lott Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
- Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the automaker will likely not be profitable in the first quarter of this year during a conference call with reporters on Thursday.
- Musk added that he expects Tesla to be profitable in the second quarter.
- Musk's statement marks a reversal from his prior prediction that Tesla would be profitable in every quarter beginning in the third quarter of 2018.
- During the automaker's fourth-quarter earnings call in January, Musk said he was "optimistic" that Tesla would earn a small profit during the first quarter.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the automaker will likely not be profitable in the first quarter of this year during a conference call with reporters on Thursday.
Musk added that he expects Tesla to be profitable in the second quarter.
Musk's statement marks a reversal from his prior prediction that Tesla would be profitable in every quarter beginning in the third quarter of 2018. During the automaker's fourth-quarter earnings call in January, Musk said he was "optimistic" that Tesla would earn a small profit during the first quarter.
Read more: Tesla is shuttering most of its stores as the company switches to an online-only sales model
"I'm optimistic about being profitable in Q1. Not by a lot, but I'm optimistic about being profitable in Q1 and for all quarters going forward," Musk said during the call.
During the second half of 2018, Tesla posted the first consecutive quarterly profits in its history, though it failed to meet Wall Street's expectations for its fourth-quarter earnings. The automaker posted adjusted earnings of $1.93 per share on $7.23 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter. Wall Street analysts had expected adjusted earnings of $2.10 per share on revenue of $7.1 billion.
Have a Tesla news tip? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.
- Read more:
- More layoffs at Tesla as the company shutters most of its retail stores
- We took the Tesla Model 3 for a test drive. Here are the best and worst features.
- Tesla has suspended orders ahead of Elon Musk's big announcement
- Dear Elon Tusk: It's time to delete your Twitter
Get the latest Tesla stock price here.