Auto News: Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA)’s Hyperloop, General Motors Company (GM) Earnings Fall & Ford Motor Company (F)

Editor’s Note: Related tickers: Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:TM), Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE:HMC)

Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA)Tesla Motors Upgraded to Outperform by Zacks (TSLA) (WatchListNews)
Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) was upgraded by Zacks from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Monday, ARN reports. The firm currently has a $130.90 price target on the stock. Zacks‘ price target would indicate a potential upside of 9.38% from the stock’s previous close. Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) traded up 4.44% on Monday, hitting $124.99. Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has a 52-week low of $25.52 and a 52-week high of $133.26. The stock’s 50-day moving average is currently $108.4. The company’s market cap is $14.443 billion.

NY to LA in 45 minutes? Tesla’s Elon Musk has a plan (MSN)
Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is all over the place lately, creating buzz about his proposed “Hyperloop” — a pneumatic tube transportation system that would shuttle people from Los Angeles to New York in under an hour. Sounds kind of like one of the whimsical contraptions on “The Jetsons,” right? Despite all the hype, no one knows exactly what Musk’s vision entails or whether it’s viable. He has dropped a few hints, however. …Musk said that rail line “would actually be the slowest bullet train in the world and the most expensive per mile in the world.” “These are not the superlatives we are looking for,” he said.

General Motors (GM) Profit Expected to Slip (Forbes)
In spite of an expected dip in profit, most analysts are positive about General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) -0.49% before it reports its second quarter earnings on Thursday, July 25, 2013. Analysts are expecting General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) to come in with earnings of 78 cents per share, down 13% from a year ago when it reported earnings of 90 cents per share. ..The majority of analysts (80%) rate General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) as a buy. This compares favorably to the analyst ratings of its nearest seven competitors, which average 65% buys. Competitors in the consumer cyclical sector include: Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) -0.88%, Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:TM) -0.6% and Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE:HMC) -0.81%.

GM poised to generate 2013 profits from 18 new or refreshed vehicles (AutoNews)
With more than 50 orders for the new Corvette sports car, Florida Chevrolet dealer Steve Hurley said he’s anticipating big things from General Motors Co.’s product push that reaches U.S. showrooms during the second half of 2013. The redesigned Corvette, Silverado and Impala are among the 18 new or refreshed General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) vehicles arriving in the U.S. this year — the largest wave of new products in the company’s history. The models are poised to put CEO Dan Akerson in the driver’s seat by flipping General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)’s lineup into one of the newest in the industry from one of the stalest. That’s why analysts see profit improving following the second-quarter results that General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is set to release Thursday, a day after Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) reports.

Ford Motor (F) Earnings Projected to Increase (Forbes)
Wall Street is expecting higher profit for Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) -0.89% when the company reports its second quarter results on Wednesday, July 24, 2013. The consensus estimate is calling for profit of 37 cents a share, a rise from 30 cents per share a year ago. The consensus estimate is down from three months ago when it was 38 cents, but is unchanged over the past month. For the fiscal year, analysts are expecting earnings of $1.45 per share. Revenue is projected to eclipse the year-earlier total of $33 billion by 6%, finishing at $35 billion for the quarter. For the year, revenue is expected to come in at $136 billion.