Toyota to buy back $1.8 billion in shares as profit tops estimates

Toyota Motor Corp.’s quarterly profit topped analysts’ estimates thanks to healthy sales of RAV4s in the U.S. and Corollas at home, keeping the Japanese automaker’s business on track amid sputtering global demand for cars. Operating income for the fiscal second quarter that ended in September was 662 billion yen, helped by cost controls that paved […]

• Bloomberg News
• November 7, 2019
• Earnings

New-car prices inch up, EV prices tumble in June

New-vehicle prices climbed 3% year over year, averaging $37,285 in June, according to Kelley Blue Book. KBB analysts attributed the transaction price growth to the persistent demand for trucks and SUVs, pushing both sales and prices in those segments. In fact, light trucks and SUVs are estimated to account for more than 70% of June […]

• Bianca Chan
• July 8, 2019
• Sales & Marketing

Tesla Plans to Use Model 3 Lease Program to Stock Ride-Hailing Fleet

Tesla has launched a leasing offer for its $35,000 Model 3 electric sedan — without the standard option that allows consumers to purchase their vehicles at the end of the term. “With full autonomy coming in the future via an over-the-air software update, we plan to use those vehicles in the Tesla ride-hailing network," the […]

• Nicole Casperson
• April 26, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Update

Tesla Analysts Skeptical of Bold Autonomy Plans Ahead of Results

Tesla Inc. and its Chief Executive Elon Musk made some bold claims at the company’s investor day on Monday, but Wall Street analysts are far from convinced. Musk said Tesla is now making the best self-driving chip in the world, speaking during a discussion that largely focused on the electric vehicle maker’s plan for autonomous […]

• Bloomberg News
• April 23, 2019
• Innovation & Technology

Tesla Scales Back Store Closures

Contrary to the electric OEM’s announcement last month, Tesla will not be closing as many of its brick-and-mortar stores as originally planned, according to a company release. Although the company didn’t offer specific numbers, Tesla said it will close about half as many stores than was previously announced. As a result, the expected 6% reduction […]

• Joey Pizzolato
• March 13, 2019
• Risk Management

Fair’s Georg Bauer Joins Auto Finance Innovation Summit for Fireside Chat

Auto Finance News will host Fair’s Co-Founder and President Georg Bauer at the 4th annual Auto Finance Innovation Summit for a fireside chat on Wednesday, May 15, at 9:05 a.m. PT. The event will take place at the Omni San Diego on May 14-15, directly following the Auto Finance Sales & Marketing Summit. Check out […]

• Nicole Casperson
• March 6, 2019
• Innovation & Technology

Tesla Pivots to Online-Only Sales Model

Tesla will be shifting its worldwide sales model to an online-only platform, starting with North America, the company said in a statement last week. The electric OEM will also be closing many of its brick-and-mortar dealerships, leaving “a small number of stores in high-traffic locations remaining as galleries, showcases, and Tesla information centers,” the company […]

• Joey Pizzolato
• March 4, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Sales & Marketing

Tesla Issues Second-Ever Lease Securitization Despite Previous Downgrade

Tesla Inc. is slated to issue its second-ever U.S. auto securitization on Dec. 19, according to presale reports. The $837 million transaction is 53% larger than Tesla’s inaugural securitization, which was issued in February. That securitization was subsequently downgraded because of a “significant shortfall” in the Model 3 production rate and a weak financial situation, […]

• Nicole Casperson
• December 13, 2018
• Capital Markets