Tesla to raise about $1.5 billion in stock, notes; Musk to buy shares
A woman looks into the Tesla store in Santa Monica, California, where customers are waiting in line to put a USD 1,000 deposit on the as yet unseen Tesla Model 3, on March 31, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / ROBYN BECK
Tesla said on Wednesday it expects to raise about $US1.15 billion ($AUD1.5bn) from a stock and senior notes offering, an infusion of needed capital as the electric car maker enters pre-production of its upcoming Model 3 electric sedan.
A capital raise by Tesla has been anticipated since late last year, gaining steam last month after Chief Executive Elon Musk said the company could be “close to the edge” on cash needs.
Some Wall Street analysts had predicted that Tesla would seek to raise as much as $US2.5 billion in capital.
Tesla has repeatedly turned to Wall Street for fresh capital throughout its history. It has had negative cash flow since 2014 and has posted a quarterly profit only twice since going public.
Tesla had $US3.39 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2016, but most comes from a May stock offering, cash from its SolarCity acquisition and nearly $1 billion in draws on its credit facilities.
Tesla’s warning that it would spend $US2 billion-$US2.5 billion in the first half of 2017 in capital expenditures left little cushion at a critical time ahead of its Model 3 production, which the company says will begin in July.
The company’s shares, which are down 9 per cent since a 52-week year high in February, rose 2.1 per cent to $US261.11 in after-hours trade.
