Stock Analysis on Net

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA)

Cash Flow Statement 
Quarterly Data

The cash flow statement provides information about a company cash receipts and cash payments during an accounting period, showing how these cash flows link the ending cash balance to the beginning balance shown on the company balance sheet.

The cash flow statement consists of three parts: cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities, cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities, and cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities.

Tesla Inc., consolidated cash flow statement (quarterly data)

US$ in millions

Microsoft Excel
3 months ended: Mar 31, 2026 Dec 31, 2025 Sep 30, 2025 Jun 30, 2025 Mar 31, 2025 Dec 31, 2024 Sep 30, 2024 Jun 30, 2024 Mar 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Sep 30, 2023 Jun 30, 2023 Mar 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2022 Sep 30, 2022 Jun 30, 2022 Mar 31, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Sep 30, 2021 Jun 30, 2021 Mar 31, 2021
Net income 491 856 1,389 1,190 420 2,143 2,189 1,416 1,405 7,943 1,878 2,614 2,539 3,707 3,331 2,269 3,280 2,343 1,659 1,178 464
Depreciation, amortization and impairment 1,590 1,643 1,625 1,433 1,447 1,496 1,348 1,278 1,246 1,232 1,235 1,154 1,046 989 956 922 880 848 761 681 621
Stock-based compensation 1,030 954 663 635 573 579 457 439 524 484 465 445 418 419 362 361 418 558 475 474 614
Inventory write-downs 77 49 65 136 112 88 101 78 68 102 144 167 50 59 60 25 33 12 40 39 49
Foreign currency transaction net unrealized (gain) loss 287 292 106 24 30 (270) 287 (27) (63) 173 (34) (258) (25) 80 53 (22) (30) (63) 9 1 (2)
Deferred income taxes (136) (111) 225 52 (43) 6 286 122 63 (6,033) (113) (148) (55)
Digital assets (gain) loss, net 222 307 (80) (284) 125 (347) (7) 100 (335) 34 106 51 23 (101)
Non-cash interest and other operating activities 1 37 162 27 46 89 20 68 (5) (13) 35 44 15 181 107 36 16 32 153 52 8
Accounts receivable 561 45 (907) (29) 630 (1,227) 429 137 (422) (963) 881 (472) (32) (698) (193) 176 (409) 18 135 (259) (24)
Inventory (2,255) (214) 1,991 (703) (1,704) 2,044 (193) 1,783 (2,697) 758 163 (576) (1,540) (1,973) (2,300) (1,559) (633) (534) (488) (581) (106)
Operating lease vehicles 174 (79) (11) 141 (76) (508) (33) (37) (12) (94) (471) (712) (675) (434) (341) (333) (462) (588) (610) (490) (426)
Prepaid expenses and other assets 231 (901) (1,143) (718) (419) (634) (1,009) (658) (972) (660) (361) (894) (737) (1,523) (870) (675) (900) (531) (611) (109) (311)
Accounts payable, accrued and other liabilities 1,401 1,397 1,646 627 706 1,084 2,255 (998) 1,247 683 (627) 1,146 1,403 2,162 3,727 684 1,515 2,149 1,400 998 693
Deferred revenue 263 (462) 507 9 309 271 125 (89) 195 758 113 555 106 275 208 361 287 341 173 117 162
Changes in operating assets and liabilities 375 (214) 2,083 (673) (554) 1,030 1,574 138 (2,661) 482 (302) (953) (1,475) (2,191) 231 (1,346) (602) 855 (1) (324) (12)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities 3,446 2,957 4,849 1,350 1,736 2,671 4,066 2,196 (1,163) (3,573) 1,430 451 (26) (429) 1,769 82 715 2,242 1,488 946 1,177
Net cash provided by operating activities 3,937 3,813 6,238 2,540 2,156 4,814 6,255 3,612 242 4,370 3,308 3,065 2,513 3,278 5,100 2,351 3,995 4,585 3,147 2,124 1,641
Purchases of property and equipment excluding finance leases, net of sales (2,493) (2,393) (2,248) (2,394) (1,492) (2,780) (3,513) (2,272) (2,777) (2,307) (2,459) (2,060) (2,073) (1,858) (1,803) (1,730) (1,772) (1,814) (1,825) (1,515) (1,360)
Purchase of SpaceX equity investment (2,002)
Purchases of digital assets (1,500)
Proceeds from sales of digital assets 936 272
Purchase of intangible assets (9)
Purchases of short-term investments (8,318) (12,207) (11,402) (7,485) (6,015) (15,158) (6,032) (8,143) (6,622) (5,891) (6,131) (5,075) (2,015) (4,368) (991) (90) (386) (102) (30)
Proceeds from maturities of short-term investments 7,790 8,072 9,295 6,935 5,856 10,335 6,670 6,990 4,315 3,394 3,816 3,539 1,604 19 3
Proceeds from sales of short-term investments 200 138
Receipt of government grants 76 6
Business combinations, net of cash acquired 12 (76)
Net cash used in investing activities (5,023) (6,528) (4,355) (2,944) (1,651) (7,603) (2,875) (3,225) (5,084) (4,804) (4,762) (3,534) (2,484) (6,131) (2,791) (884) (2,167) (1,916) (1,855) (1,515) (2,582)
Proceeds from issuances of debt 4,331 1,354 1,182 2,425 625 1,384 465 3,119 776 1,405 2,526 1,250 2,771 1,879 2,983
Repayments of debt (3,530) (748) (669) (2,828) (1,301) (717) (561) (631) (591) (464) (344) (241) (302) (364) (781) (274) (1,945) (2,578) (4,181) (3,370) (4,038)
Collateralized lease repayments (1) (2) (6)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options and other stock issuances 361 146 512 215 313 453 340 197 251 152 254 63 231 67 229 43 202 262 192 70 183
Principal payments on finance leases (18) (19) (18) (19) (48) (90) (85) (100) (106) (124) (118) (116) (106) (133) (118) (128) (123) (128) (115) (95) (101)
Proceeds received from directors in shareholder settlement 277
Recovery (payment) of legal fees associated with shareholder settlement 98 (176)
Debt issuance costs (1) (4) (1) (8) (1) (2) (3) (6) (10) (13) (4) (5)
Proceeds from investments by noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries 2
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (70) (22) (20) (14) (22) (28) (26) (20) (30) (39) (38) (31) (36) (39) (42) (34) (42) (53) (43) (33) (32)
Payments for buy-outs of noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (9) (23) (101) (37) (7) (3) (7) (26) (13) (6) (10)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 1,172 710 983 (222) (332) 985 132 2,540 196 887 2,263 (328) (233) (495) (712) (406) (1,914) (1,257) (1,381) (1,549) (1,016)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash (47) 37 (17) 111 40 (133) 108 (37) (79) 146 (98) (94) 50 123 (335) (214) (18) 38 (42) 42 (221)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash 39 (1,968) 2,849 (515) 213 (1,937) 3,620 2,890 (4,725) 599 711 (891) (154) (3,225) 1,262 847 (104) 1,450 (131) (898) (2,178)

Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2021-03-31).


The financial trajectory over the observed period reveals a company in a phase of aggressive capital expansion characterized by high volatility in operating cash flows and a strategic shift in financing activities. While net cash provided by operating activities remains positive, the margins and consistency of these inflows have fluctuated significantly, particularly during 2024 and 2025.

Operating Cash Flow and Profitability Trends
Net income exhibited a strong growth phase, peaking at 7,943 million US$ in the quarter ending December 31, 2023, before entering a downward trend that reached 491 million US$ by March 31, 2026. This decline in profitability is contrasted by a general increase in non-cash charges; depreciation and amortization grew steadily from 621 million US$ in early 2021 to 1,590 million US$ by early 2026. Stock-based compensation also showed a marked increase in the latter part of the period, exceeding 1 billion US$ per quarter by late 2025.
Working Capital Dynamics
Significant volatility is observed in changes to operating assets and liabilities. Inventory management shows a pattern of heavy cash outflows followed by periodic recoveries, with a notable spike in inventory spending of 2,697 million US$ in March 2024. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities have frequently served as a primary source of cash to offset these inventory builds, though the magnitude of these swings suggests fluctuating supply chain and payment terms.
Capital Expenditure and Investment Strategy
A consistent upward trend in capital intensity is evident. Purchases of property and equipment, net of sales, rose from 1,360 million US$ in March 2021 to 2,493 million US$ by March 2026, indicating a sustained commitment to scaling infrastructure. The investment profile also expanded beyond core operations, as evidenced by a 2,002 million US$ equity investment in SpaceX in the final quarter of the data set. Treasury management remained highly active, with substantial quarterly movements in short-term investments, often involving purchases exceeding 10 billion US$ offset by corresponding maturities.
Financing and Liquidity Management
The financing strategy transitioned from a period of aggressive debt repayment in 2021 and 2022 to a more balanced approach involving new debt issuances. A significant increase in debt proceeds is noted in the final quarter, totaling 4,331 million US$. This shift suggests a move toward leveraging the balance sheet to fund growth or investments, diverging from the earlier trend of reducing total debt obligations.

Overall, the data indicates a transition from a period of rapid profit acceleration to one of higher capital expenditure and fluctuating operating efficiency. The increasing reliance on debt issuance and the scale of capital investments suggest a strategic pivot toward long-term capacity building, despite the recent compression in quarterly net income.

AI Ask an analyst for more