2022年10月,對特斯拉心存疑慮的投資者預計,埃隆·馬斯克將會大規模出售他持有的股份,以獲取收購推特的資金,于是他們開始賣空公司股票。當時,許多投資者懷疑這位億萬富翁以股份質押作為擔保,能夠從特斯拉借出的資金已經達到極限。
但他們并不知道,馬斯克還有另外一個資金來源,可以為他以440億美元收購推特提供資金。
據《華爾街日報》分析的資料顯示,這位連續創業者在收購推特的當月,以他在商業航天公司SpaceX(太空探索技術公司)持有的42%的股份作為抵押,從該公司獲得10億美元過橋貸款。
別無選擇
雖然馬斯克在第二個月就償還了貸款,但這類貸款在企業界并不常見,而且大多數強大的董事會出于治理考慮,都會反對這種做法。
一方面,SpaceX有自己的重點業務,其中最重要的是創造一個多星球人類社會。馬斯克夢想在火星設立永久居住地,而且不相信長壽的馬斯克希望未來某一天能夠死于火星。
老板從一家一年前還面臨破產風險的公司拆借資金,只是為了老板個人完成與這家公司無關的商業交易,這是一種非傳統的行為。
特斯拉備受尊敬的財務主管扎卡里·柯克霍恩突然被粗暴替換,公司至今沒有給出任何解釋。一個月后,有關馬斯克從SpaceX貸款的消息就被《華爾街日報》曝光。
SpaceX并未回應《財富》雜志的置評請求,目前無法獲得特斯拉對此事的聲明。
但對于當時即將進行的推特交易,馬斯克可能并沒有太多的選擇。
到2022年10月初,幾乎可以確定一家特拉華州法院可能依據先例,強制這位科技大亨兌現他說過的話,為推特的股東支付每股54.20美元。
投資者搶在馬斯克出售特斯拉股票之前交易
馬斯克從貸款機構以債務的形式募資130億美元,從財力雄厚的投資者以股權的方式募資71億美元。但富有遠見的馬斯克依舊要動用260億美元的個人財富,包括銀行和律師手續費。
根據之前的監管申報文件判斷,馬斯克并未拋售足夠多的特斯拉股票來支持此次收購,并且為了縮小資金缺口,將不得不清算更多的股票。
賣空者假設他依舊需要約50億美元的資金,因此他們認為能夠預測他的下一步舉動,并搶先進行交易,即搶在馬斯克出售之前賣掉股票,等到股價下跌后再以更低的價格回購。
隨著法院規定的10月28日完成交易的截止日期臨近,做空者開始倒計時,他們有理由相信自己準確地預測了馬斯克的舉動。
為了提高股價,馬斯克借助特斯拉第三季度營收電話會議的機會,向投資者表示特斯拉將成為全球第一家市值達到4.5萬億美元的超級公司,遠超過蘋果(Apple)和沙特石油巨頭沙特阿美(Aramco)的市值之和。
然而,投機者并沒有被他突然表達樂觀情緒的時機所影響,隨著賣空者不斷進場,特斯拉的股價持續下跌。
特斯拉的做空者等到10月,期待著特斯拉提交表格4披露文件,證明馬斯克已經賣掉了更多的股份。但他們并沒有看到這些披露文件。
后來出現了各種說法,這些說法的核心通常是承銷推特交易的一家銀行,例如摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley),為馬斯克提供了一筆過橋貸款,目的是幫助馬斯克成功完成收購,從而獲得相關服務費和獎金。
然而,投機者似乎不知道的是,馬斯克至少從SpaceX借了部分資金,以避免特斯拉的股票面臨更大的壓力。
推特的交易在2022年10月27日完成約一周后,特斯拉披露,馬斯克在11月初出售了約1,900萬股股票,價值接近40億美元,這也是他償還SpaceX貸款的時間。但當時對賣空者而言,為時已晚。(財富中文網)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
2022年10月,對特斯拉心存疑慮的投資者預計,埃隆·馬斯克將會大規模出售他持有的股份,以獲取收購推特的資金,于是他們開始賣空公司股票。當時,許多投資者懷疑這位億萬富翁以股份質押作為擔保,能夠從特斯拉借出的資金已經達到極限。
但他們并不知道,馬斯克還有另外一個資金來源,可以為他以440億美元收購推特提供資金。
據《華爾街日報》分析的資料顯示,這位連續創業者在收購推特的當月,以他在商業航天公司SpaceX(太空探索技術公司)持有的42%的股份作為抵押,從該公司獲得10億美元過橋貸款。
別無選擇
雖然馬斯克在第二個月就償還了貸款,但這類貸款在企業界并不常見,而且大多數強大的董事會出于治理考慮,都會反對這種做法。
一方面,SpaceX有自己的重點業務,其中最重要的是創造一個多星球人類社會。馬斯克夢想在火星設立永久居住地,而且不相信長壽的馬斯克希望未來某一天能夠死于火星。
老板從一家一年前還面臨破產風險的公司拆借資金,只是為了老板個人完成與這家公司無關的商業交易,這是一種非傳統的行為。
特斯拉備受尊敬的財務主管扎卡里·柯克霍恩突然被粗暴替換,公司至今沒有給出任何解釋。一個月后,有關馬斯克從SpaceX貸款的消息就被《華爾街日報》曝光。
SpaceX并未回應《財富》雜志的置評請求,目前無法獲得特斯拉對此事的聲明。
但對于當時即將進行的推特交易,馬斯克可能并沒有太多的選擇。
到2022年10月初,幾乎可以確定一家特拉華州法院可能依據先例,強制這位科技大亨兌現他說過的話,為推特的股東支付每股54.20美元。
投資者搶在馬斯克出售特斯拉股票之前交易
馬斯克從貸款機構以債務的形式募資130億美元,從財力雄厚的投資者以股權的方式募資71億美元。但富有遠見的馬斯克依舊要動用260億美元的個人財富,包括銀行和律師手續費。
根據之前的監管申報文件判斷,馬斯克并未拋售足夠多的特斯拉股票來支持此次收購,并且為了縮小資金缺口,將不得不清算更多的股票。
賣空者假設他依舊需要約50億美元的資金,因此他們認為能夠預測他的下一步舉動,并搶先進行交易,即搶在馬斯克出售之前賣掉股票,等到股價下跌后再以更低的價格回購。
隨著法院規定的10月28日完成交易的截止日期臨近,做空者開始倒計時,他們有理由相信自己準確地預測了馬斯克的舉動。
為了提高股價,馬斯克借助特斯拉第三季度營收電話會議的機會,向投資者表示特斯拉將成為全球第一家市值達到4.5萬億美元的超級公司,遠超過蘋果(Apple)和沙特石油巨頭沙特阿美(Aramco)的市值之和。
然而,投機者并沒有被他突然表達樂觀情緒的時機所影響,隨著賣空者不斷進場,特斯拉的股價持續下跌。
特斯拉的做空者等到10月,期待著特斯拉提交表格4披露文件,證明馬斯克已經賣掉了更多的股份。但他們并沒有看到這些披露文件。
后來出現了各種說法,這些說法的核心通常是承銷推特交易的一家銀行,例如摩根士丹利(Morgan Stanley),為馬斯克提供了一筆過橋貸款,目的是幫助馬斯克成功完成收購,從而獲得相關服務費和獎金。
然而,投機者似乎不知道的是,馬斯克至少從SpaceX借了部分資金,以避免特斯拉的股票面臨更大的壓力。
推特的交易在2022年10月27日完成約一周后,特斯拉披露,馬斯克在11月初出售了約1,900萬股股票,價值接近40億美元,這也是他償還SpaceX貸款的時間。但當時對賣空者而言,為時已晚。(財富中文網)
譯者:劉進龍
審校:汪皓
Last October, Tesla-doubting investors were out in force short-selling shares in anticipation that Elon Musk would sell a large chunk of his own stock to fund his purchase of Twitter. At the time, many suspected the billionaire had maxed out the amount of money Tesla would allow him to borrow using a pledge of his shares as security.
Little did they know he had another source to raise money that could potentially be used to fund his $44 billion deal.
According to documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the serial entrepreneur hit SpaceX up for a $1 billion bridge loan in the same month the Twitter deal went through—this time collateralized by a portion of his 42% stake in the commercial spacefarer.
Dearth of options
While Musk repaid the cash the very next month, such a loan is not common in the corporate world, and most robust boards would frown on such a practice from a governance perspective.
For one thing, SpaceX has its own priorities—chief among them, enabling a multi-planetary society. Musk himself dreams of establishing a permanent colony on Mars and—since he is no believer in longevity—one day dying on the Red Planet.
Diverting cash from a company that only a year before risked bankruptcy in order for its boss to potentially privately pursue unrelated business endeavors would be highly unorthodox.
The loan revelations brought to light by the Journal come one month after the sudden and unceremonious replacement of Zachary Kirkhorn, Tesla’s highly respected head of finance, for which there has yet to be a explanation.
SpaceX did not respond to a request by Fortune for comment, while Tesla could not be reached for a statement.
When it came to the pending Twitter deal, however, Musk likely did not have that many attractive options from which to choose.
By early October 2022, it seemed clear a Delaware court would follow precedent and compel the tech tycoon to abide by his word by paying Twitter shareholders $54.20 for each share.
Front-running Elon Musk’s Tesla sales
Musk succeeded in raising $13 billion in debt from lenders and another $7.1 billion in equity from wealthy investors. But the visionary CEO still had to pitch in another $26 billion of his own money, once banker and legal fees were included.
Judging by previous regulatory filings, Musk hadn’t dumped enough Tesla stock to afford the acquisition and would have to liquidate more to close the gap.
Assuming he was still short an estimated $5 billion, short-sellers believed they could anticipate his next move and front-run his trade, selling shares before Musk could and buying them back on the cheap after the price dropped.
As bears began the countdown toward the court-imposed Oct. 28 deadline to consummate the deal, they had reason to believe they had him in their sights.
Hoping to boost the stock price, Musk used a Tesla Q3 call that month to suggest investors could expect their company would become the world’s first $4.5 trillion corporate megacap, worth more than Apple and Saudi oil giant Aramco combined.
Speculators weren’t influenced by the timing of his sudden optimism, however, and the stock continued to underperform as short-sellers placed their bets.
Tesla bears waited in October for Tesla to file the Form 4 disclosures proving Musk had offloaded more shares. But those disclosures didn’t arrive.
Theories subsequently were bandied about, often revolving around one of the banks underwriting the Twitter deal, Morgan Stanley for example, giving Musk a bridge loan in order to secure fees and bonuses linked to the successful completion of the purchase.
Yet it appears that, unbeknownst to speculators, he may have borrowed at least part of the money he needed from SpaceX to avoid further pressure on Tesla shares.
About a week after the Twitter transaction closed on Oct. 27, Tesla then revealed Musk had sold some 19 million shares worth close to $4 billion in early November, which is when he paid back the SpaceX loan. By then, it was too late for the short-sellers.