Tesla shares jumped more than 10 percent Thursday after the company reported earnings for the second quarter.
Investors seemed to cheer the fact that the electric automaker burned through less cashー$739.5 million in Q2 compared to $1 billion the quarter beforeーand that CEO Elon Musk behaved himself: the billionaire began the earnings call by apologizing to analysts for his ["bad manners"](https://cheddar.com/videos/elon-musk-combative-with-analysts-may-have-a-point?utm_source=All+Subs&utm_campaign=5c55c38d33-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_01_06_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4b7ac66387-5c55c38d33-121269037) three months ago, which accelerated after-market gains in the stock.
Other positives from Tesla's earnings: the company said it expects to manufacture more than 6,000 of Model 3s a week by the end of the month and that most factories would be able to produce 10,000 cars a week by the end of the year.
That would be a big step toward achieving profitabilityーMusk has said that sustained production of the Model 3 is essential for increasing cash flow and cutting losses. The company ended the quarter with about $2.2 billion in cash on its balance sheet, suggesting it has just enough to get through the year.
Still, Tesla did post a bigger loss than expectedー$3.06 a share versus an estimated $2.92ーand Musk acknowledged the company would need to raise capital to fund its planned expansion to Shanghai.
In all, the company produced more than 53,000 carsーModel 3s, Model Ss, and Model Xsーduring the second quarter, and delivered almost 41,000 vehicles. It also took a restructuring charge for cutting its workforce by 9 percent.
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/tesla-stocks-rise-after-earnings-report).
A Senate bill unveiled on Wednesday looks to tackleonline safety for children by regulating Big Tech and social media platforms to deter users from content that can harm their mental health. Irene Ly, a policy counsel for the age-based ratings and review organization Common Sense Media, joined Cheddar News to break down the potential of the Kids Online Safety Act. "We can't be imposing such a big burden on parents to be doing it all on theirselves," Ly said. "I think you also have to keep in mind that parents often didn't grow up with social media, so they don't understand what it's like to be addicted to social media or really understand how they work."
While many still remain skeptical about the metaverse, big tech firms and even one big bank are ready to expand their virtual worlds. Facebook parent company has pivoted so hard it will now call its employees 'Metamates,' and even JPMorgan Chase has created its own digital lounge on one virtual platform. While the sector remains young, there seems to be significant investment opportunity, especially with companies like Nvidia. Adam Johnson, a portfolio strategist at Adviser Investments, joins Closing Bell to discuss which companies could win in this space, consumer appetite, and more.
Marc Blinder, Co-Founder and CEO of Aikon, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he discusses how his company is helping businesses use blockchain applications without needing to learn the intricacies of the new technology.
Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have introduced a new bill to afford greater protection to minors on social media. The genesis of the Kids Online Safety Act came from a Facebook whistleblower case exposing the harm apps can have on the mental health of young girls.
Ride share competitors Uber and Lyft both posted their fourth quarter earnings days apart from each other. Both companies have been trying to get back on their feet after taking some pandemic-related hits, but the Omicron variant had other ideas as the year came to a close, with each company taking a hit in ridership in December. Lance Ippolito, head trader at The Future of Wealth explains how Uber and Lyft measured up this earnings period and why Uber may still have an edge over the competition.
