Elon Musk warns Tesla staff that its stock could 'get crushed like a soufflé under a sledgehammer' if the company isn't careful about spending

• Elon Musk told Tesla staff Tuesday that the company's high-flying stock could crash if profits didn't continue to grow.
• He said shares could fall "like a soufflé under a sledgehammer."
• Tesla reported its fourth consecutive quarterly profit in October and is expected to report its first annual profit this year.
• Shares of Tesla have risen more than 579% this year.

Elon Musk has a new metaphor for Tesla's high-flying stock price: a French pastry.

In a companywide email sent Tuesday and seen by Business Insider, the chief executive told staff that investors had put a high price on profit predictions.

"If, at any point, they conclude that's not going to happen," Musk said, "our stock will immediately get crushed like a soufflé under a sledgehammer!"

Tesla did not respond to a request for comment about the email.

Tesla in October reported its most profitable quarter ever, its fourth consecutive reporting period in the black. Those results put the automaker on track for its first annual profit in a more than a decade of existence and helped it nab a spot in the prestigious S&P 500 index, which it will join this month.

Its stock price, meanwhile, has risen more than 579% this year, easily outpacing the broader market and making Tesla more valuable than traditional automakers.

Despite the optimism and growing profits — most of which are attributable to sales of carbon credits, not cars — Musk told employees that discretion was still key.

"At a time like this, when our stock is reaching new heights, it may seem as though spending carefully is not as important," he said. "This is definitely not true!"

"In order to make our cars affordable, we have to get smarter about how we spend money," he added. "This is a tough Game of Pennies, requiring thousands of good ideas to improve part cost, a factory process or simplify the design, while increasing quality and capabilities."

Tesla will officially join the S&P 500 in December and is expected to report its full-year financials early next year.

Read the full email below: