Tesla delivered the earning season it needed Two factors can help explain why Tesla investors were so reassured after the new Q3 report — gross margin and vehicles delivered. It was expected by Bloomberg that Tesla’s gross margin figure would come in at 16.8%. Instead, the company posted a 19.8% gross margin while also seeing increased revenue and adjusted earning metrics. "We delivered strong results in Q3 with growth in vehicle deliveries both sequentially and year-on-year, resulting in record third-quarter volumes," the company said in its earnings deck. With pressure from companies like the Chinese EV maker BYD, distribution was a topic of conversation around Tesla. The company announced it delivered 462,890 vehicles in Q3, which represents a 6.4% increase from Q2 to mark the first quarter of delivery growth this year. It should also be noted that Tesla’s performance rebukes, for now, any claims that Musk’s erratic and, recently, politically charged behavior has an effect on the company’s bottom line. Turbulence has defined recent years for Tesla Earlier this year, Tesla saw its stock tumble by nearly 11% after it reported a revenue of $25.05 billion in Q2. While that number is higher than the $24.93 billion it posted in the same quarter last year — adjusted numbers show a decrease. For example, when accounting for the adjusted profits, 2024 generated $0.52 against $0.60 expected. The numbers in that report ultimately outlined a 40% decrease in profits, which is likely the easiest explanation for why Tesla stock was fluctuating over the past year — dropping by as much as 44% earlier this year, according to market numbers. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com.