*By Carlo Versano*
After [reports](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-23/musk-is-said-to-hire-morgan-stanley-to-help-take-tesla-private) circulated that Elon Musk hired Morgan Stanley to personally advise the CEO on his options to take Tesla private, watchers are wrestling with what's perhaps the question of the summer: is the innovative, but beleaguered automaker better off public or private? And maybe more interesting: is it better off with or without Musk at the helm?
Aaron Cole, managing editor of [Motor Authority](https://www.motorauthority.com/), remains skeptical that Tesla would flourish as a privately run company. Financial transparency and pressure from investors, both part of being public, make corporate governance stronger, he said.
"Tesla has a better route being a public company."
Furthermore, even with Morgan on board as an adviser, privatization would be a far-off future, Cole said. Despite Musk's public statements to the contrary, Cole pointed out the electric carmaker has "no reasonable" way to buy out its investors.
Cole doesn't buy the "cult of Elon" theory either. The CEO's erratic behavior has caused more harm than good, Cole said, and the company may actually benefit if Musk takes a leave of absence.
Cole anticipates Tesla is about to face serious competition from Porsche and Mercedes-Benz as they enter the high-end electric car sector. Musk's do-it-all approach to management is not feasible in a competitive marketplace, Cole said.
"If Elon stays, Tesla also has a tough road," he said.
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/tesla-private-bid-inches-forward).
Tyson Foods is eliminating about 10 percent of corporate jobs and 15 percent senior leadership positions, according to a memo obtained by Reuters. The cuts are just the latest attempt to trim costs amid falling profits.
Verizon is taking steps to speed up its 5G network in rural areas. The company said it plans to extend its C-band 5G network across a larger suburban and rural footprint, meaning faster speeds for customers in those areas.
Facebook parent company Meta's first-quarter results surpassed Wall Street's modest expectations on both profit and revenue, sending its stock soaring in after-hours trading.
Another automaker is trying to cut its workforce to trim expenses and stay competitive as the industry makes the long and costly transition to electric vehicles.
The U.S. economy slowed sharply from January through March, decelerating to just a 1.1% annual pace as higher interest rates hammered the housing market and businesses reduced their inventories.
Applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. fell last week as the labor market continues to show strength despite some weakness in other parts of the economy.
Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes has avoided starting her more than 11-year prison sentence on Thursday by deploying the same legal maneuver that enabled her co-conspirator in a blood-testing hoax to remain free for an additional month.
When people think of asset classes, most think of stocks and bonds. Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst with Bankrate.com, joined Cheddar News to discuss why the current economy is making the cash savings account a more worthwhile investment than it's been in previous years.
