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Tesla’s quarterly profit falls while free cash flow stays positive

The October 21 results presented a mixed earnings picture.

By Ayal · October 22, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026

New Tesla cars at the company’s Fremont factory in December 2012. Archival context photograph; not from the reported quarter. Steve Jurvetson / New Teslas at the factory.jpg — CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Teslas_at_the_factory.jpg License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 Provider-sized copy; no content edits. Display may crop to fit cards.

Tesla reported lower third-quarter profit but positive free cash flow in its October 21 results, according to AP.

AP put revenue at about $28 billion and described cash generation as stronger than analysts had expected. The release concerns the quarter ended September 30; it is not a new October 22 earnings announcement.

Sources & references

Associated Press

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