Financial Insights That Matter
Elon Musk’s Tesla (TSLA) appeared to take advantage of a new accounting rule allowing for holdings of digital assets to be marked-to-market each quarter.
The company’s fourth quarter earnings report shows its 9,720 bitcoin valued at $1.076 billion as of the end of 2024. That’s up from what had been $184 million for several quarters prior. Alongside that change, Tesla also recorded a GAAP income boost of $600 million on its digital holdings. For perspective, the company had overall GAAP income of $2.3 billion in the fourth quarter.
A new rule from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) requires corporate holders of digital assets to begin marking those assets to market each quarter, no later than the first quarter of 2025. Companies could take advantage of the new rule prior to that at their own discretion, which Tesla has appeared to do.
Prior to this new rule, corporate holders of digital assets were required to report those holdings at what was their lowest valuation during the time of ownership.
Tesla overall reported adjusted EPS of $0.73 in the fourth quarter, missing estimates for $0.76. The gain on its bitcoin holdings was for GAAP purposes and would have had no effect on adjusted EPS. Shares are higher by 3.5% in after hours trading.
Tesla holds 9,720 BTC, according to Bitcoin Treasuries, making it the sixth largest publicly traded company to hold bitcoin on its balance sheet.
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