Tesla lowered its 2026 capex forecast to $20 billion, leaving about $6.99 billion for the fourth quarter, compared with roughly $11.99 billion under the old guidance. In the third quarter, Tesla spent $4.73 billion on capex, below the about $7.5 billion analysts expected; Reuters figures show lower spending explains about 43% of the free cash flow beat. Operating cash flow was $6.26 billion, including $2.59 billion from working capital, an inflow that can reverse when those bills come due. Management said capex will keep expanding over the next few years, while Tesla ended September with $45.45 billion in cash and investments.
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Related tickers and likely impact
TSLA
• NeutralTesla, Inc.
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Automobile Manufacturers |
| Market cap | $1.4T |
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 386.55 |
| Change that session | +3.44% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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