Here’s What to Expect When Tesla Reports Earnings

There’s a lot of red on Tesla Motors’ (NASDAQ:TSLA) income statement. The electric-vehicle pioneer has reported negative earnings for pretty much every quarter of its existence, and expectations for the fourth quarter are no different. On average, analysts are looking for a loss of $0.53 per share, 66.6 percent wider than the year-ago period.

But the focus right now is not on earnings. The company’s bottom line is just a function of its revenue and margins — those are the two areas to which investors are really paying attention. Revenue, which has increased consistently on an annual basis but has been jumpy quarter-to-quarter, is finally set to take off. Production of the company’s flagship Model S has shifted up to a reasonable speed, and analysts are looking for nearly $300 million in sales for the quarter.

*Average analyst estimate