On March 26, 2025, the Financial Times retracted a story that accused Tesla of shady accounting. The first report, out on March 19, 2025, said Tesla’s books showed a $1.4 billion gap in the last half of 2024. It hinted that money might have disappeared. That grabbed attention fast, especially from Tesla fans and skeptics. Now, the paper says its math was off. No solid proof backs up any wrongdoing.
What Started It
The original piece looked at Tesla’s $6.3 billion in capital spending from July to December 2024. It compared that to a $4.9 billion rise in property, plant, and equipment over those months.
The $1.4 billion difference raised red flags for the Financial Times. They suggested something wasn’t right. But in the retraction, they admitted normal accounting explains most of it. Some cash likely paid off old debts for assets bought earlier, not adding to equipment totals. Plus, selling off worn-out property could shrink the gap too.
New Numbers
After rechecking, the Financial Times cut the mystery amount to about $463 million. They say this could come from regular things like currency changes or small asset write-offs. Big companies like Tesla deal with this all the time. The paper now sees it misread how cash flow and balance sheets work together, leading to a wrong take.
Reactions Roll In
Tesla backers cheered the fix. Some pointed out that the first story spread fast, possibly hurting the company’s image. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, hit back online with,
“Turns out FT can’t do finance,”
poking at the paper’s error. Critics say this shows financial reporting needs more care, especially with big names like Tesla in the spotlight.
Tesla’s Side
Tesla had a huge 2024, with more cars delivered and higher revenue than ever. The company hasn’t said much officially about the retraction, just Musk’s post. Experts and investors still watch its finances closely, as expected for a player this size. This Financial Times mix-up hasn’t shifted the view of Tesla’s solid year.
For now, the retraction ends this claim against Tesla. Its accounting, at least here, isn’t under a cloud anymore.
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