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(TSLA) nearly died, according to Elon Musk, but investors do not seem to care.
Tesla shares rose more than 6% Monday, to 346 dollars per share, following the publication of an episode of HBO Axios a mini-series in which Musk said his company was about to die, as she was working on production issues with her Model 3 sedan.
"Tesla has really faced a serious death threat because of the production ramp of Model 3," said Musk. "In reality, society was bleeding money like crazy, and if we did not fix these problems in a very short time, we would die."
And it's not just stock investors who have been immutable – as well as the owners of Tesla's debt. The 5.30% notes of the company maturing in 2025 have not changed much on Monday.
The interview, conducted Nov. 13, focused on artificial intelligence, killer drones, propaganda and the existence of a god.
"I believe there are certain explanations for this universe, which you could call God," said Musk.
Tesla was a relatively short part of the presentation and most of the relevant comments are available on YouTube. At one point, Musk reviewed the long days spent on the Tesla assembly line as the company was working on model 3 construction, saying, "I just did it because if [there was a] good luck that Tesla dies.
Some questions that investors might question have not been asked. The past year has been a busy one for Tesla and Musk, who had to leave the president's seat following a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
If the company was close to death, for example, what exactly did it mean? And when was it exactly the case? What strategic, financial or other remedies, if any – apart from work on model 3 production – has the company explored?
Musk was also not asked about the new president of the company, Robyn Denholm, a board member appointed earlier this month.
A spokesman for Tesla said Monday morning that the company had nothing to add to the interview.
Tesla's share has increased about 9% in 2018 and is currently trading at levels reached in October after the release of its latest quarterly financial results, which have impressed investors.
The latest news from Musk about the problems of his company, it seems, are over.
This story has been updated since its first publication to reflect stock price developments, to correct the date of the Axios interview, and for clarity.
Send an email to David Marino-Nachison at [email protected]. Follow him to @marinonachison and follow Barron's Next to @barronsnext.
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