After performing better than the market for most of 2014, shares of electric vehicle (EV) company Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA) declined in the fourth quarter because traders believe lower oil prices reduce the near-term appeal of its cars. The company also delayed by three months the launch of its next model (“X”) to the second half of 2015. While we view the pursuit of a perfect product pre-launch as a positive, it points to the execution risk in a new category like EVs. We believe Tesla is an attractive long-term investment given its talent pool, technology leadership, first mover advantage, scale, and brand. (Gilad Shany)
From Ron Baron (Trades, Portfolio)'s Baron Partners Fund Fourth Quarter 2014 Commentary.
During the quarter, we bought additional shares of Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), the company with the mission to revolutionize and electrify the auto industry. Limited opportunities exist in one’s lifetime to witness tectonic shifts in the making, and we believe Tesla is driving one of these shifts. We want to take the back seat of this car and enjoy the ride. Since the last time we wrote about Tesla, Audi announced plans to invest $2 billion in electric vehicles (EVs), GM announced a new all-electric car, and Mercedes presented an autonomous car that may be electric. The same traditional car manufacturers who have been resisting the adoption of EVs are slowly changing their tune, and there is no doubt that Tesla had a leading role in this shift. We believe Tesla’s technology leadership, excellent talent pool and first mover advantage will allow it to take a substantial market share in the new electrifying era of the car industry and create the next mega auto brand. (Gilad Shany)
From Ron Baron’s Baron Focused Growth Fund Q4 2014 Quarterly Report.
