With earnings season starting to heat up, our team at Prosper Trading Academy will be taking a deeper dive into some of the stocks they’re watching. Over the next few Sundays, you’ll be hearing from 2-3 of the Prosper coaches, who will share one stock — with earnings coming up that week — that’s on their radar. You’ll learn why they’re watching each stock, get technical and recent earnings analysis on it, plus one trade idea breakdown.
This week, we have Short Term Options Coach Mike Shorr, and Crypto / Penny Stocks Coach Howard Greenberg looking at earnings for two stocks on very different ends of the trading spectrum.
Mike Shorr
Tesla Inc. (TSLA) — Wednesday, April 22
Performance: Headlining the week, Tesla (TSLA) is set to report Q1 results after Wednesday’s close, with analysts expecting ~32% Y/Y earnings growth on ~16% revenue expansion. Recent sentiment has been mixed. UBS Group AG upgraded the stock to Neutral from Sell, with analyst Joseph Spak pointing to a more balanced risk-reward as valuation resets reflect near-term EV demand challenges alongside long-term “physical AI” opportunities. However, he expects continued volatility amid concerns around demand softness, rising costs, and heavy capital spending.
Ratings remain sharply divided: Wall Street leans Buy, SA analysts rate Sell, while Seeking Alpha’s Quant system is at Hold, highlighting valuation concerns. On the bearish side, SA contributors Agar Capital and The Value Portfolio maintain Strong Sell views, citing weakening deliveries, rising inventory, margin pressure, and elevated capex, alongside limited free cash flow growth. In contrast, SA contributor The Asian Investor upgraded TSLA to Buy, arguing that recent price weakness and negative sentiment have made valuations more attractive.
The long-term thesis remains anchored in AI, robotics, and autonomous driving, with upcoming updates on robo-taxi and Optimus seen as potential catalysts. With fundamentals under pressure but long-term optionality intact, Tesla’s Q1 print is likely to be a key test of whether execution can catch up with expectations.
Consensus EPS Estimates: $0.36
Consensus Revenue Estimates: $22.34B
Earnings Insight: Tesla has exceeded EPS twice in the past 8 quarters and revenue estimates in 50% of those reports.
My Take: With sentiment all over the board, I do not have a strong conviction on direction, so I would consider approaching this with a passive credit Iron Condor. I would consider the TSLA 4/24 expiration $370/$375/$425/$430 Iron Condor, selling this for $2.00. I believe this approach could yield a reward-to-risk ratio of laying 1.5:1 odds.
Howard Greenberg
QuantumScape (QS) — Wednesday April 22, 2026
Earnings Catalyst: QuantumScape is finally transitioning from a lab-based “story” stock to a legitimate industrial player. The inauguration of the “Eagle Line” pilot production facility in February 2026 was the major manufacturing hurdle we’ve waited years for, but the real shift is the move toward commercialization. The company recorded its first $19.5 million in customer billings in 2025 — mostly tied to milestones with Volkswagen’s PowerCo subsidiary — and the Q1 results on April 22 will be the first major test of whether that revenue momentum is truly scaling.
Financially, QS is heading into this report with a level of stability rarely seen in the sub-$10 space. They ended last year with $970.8 million in liquidity, providing a clear runway through 2029 without the immediate threat of dilutive fundraising. With high-profile backers like Bill Gates and Volkswagen providing institutional staying power, the company is positioned to focus entirely on its “Cobra” process integration. Any headline regarding additional OEM partnerships or a faster-than-expected production ramp could re-rate this valuation overnight, especially given the current 19% short interest.
The Trade Idea: Technically, the setup is looking increasingly bullish as we approach the print. After a long period of consolidating near the $6 floor, we have seen significant strength over the last week as traders begin to price in the transition to actual sales. We have spent the last three days challenging price levels not seen since mid-February, signaling that the market is beginning to anticipate a fundamental shift.
If the April 22 report delivers good news on sales numbers or partnership expansion, I expect a push first toward $8.50, followed by a test of the 200-day SMA at $10.43. This is a classic asymmetric setup where the technical “void” above creates a high-probability runway if the catalyst hits.
Bottom Line: This is a high-beta play with a binary outcome. I would consider keeping the position size speculative, but with QS trading at these low dollar prices, and boasting a massive cash pile, the risk-to-reward ratio is exactly what I like to target in the Penny room. I would consider monitoring the tape closely on Wednesday afternoon for the first sign of a squeeze.
