Marked against last year's 10-K:
cut words struck through, new words highlighted and underlined.
Legal Proceedings 236 words changed in this paragraph; it is 74% similar to last year's version.
We are also subject to various lawsuits that seek monetary and other injunctive relief. These lawsuits include proposed class actions and other consumer claims that allege, among other things, purported defects and misrepresentations related to our products and services. For example, on September 14, 2022, a proposed class action was filed against Tesla, Inc. and related entities in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging various claims about the Company’s driver assistance technology systems under state and federal law. This case was later consolidated with several other proposed class actions, and a Consolidated Amended Complaint was filed on October 28, 2022, which seeks damages and other relief on behalf of all persons who purchased or leased from Tesla between January 1, 2016, to the present. On October 5, 2022, a proposed class action complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York asserting similar state and federal law claims against the same defendants. On September 30, 2023, the Court dismissed this action with leave to amend the complaint. On November 20, 2023, the plaintiff moved to amend the complaint, which Tesla opposed. On August 8, 2024, the Court denied the plaintiff’s motion for leave to file an amended complaint and entered judgment for Tesla. On September 5, 2024, the plaintiff filed a notice of appeal to United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the parties are briefing the matter. On March 22, 2023, the plaintiffs in the Northern District of California consolidated action filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to order Tesla to (1) cease using the term “Full Self-Driving Capability” (FSD Capability), (2) cease the sale and activation of FSD Capability and deactivate FSD Capability on Tesla vehicles, and (3) provide certain notices to consumers about proposed court-findings about the accuracy of the use of the terms Autopilot and FSD Capability. Tesla opposed the motion. On September 30, 2023, the Court denied the request for a preliminary injunction, compelled four of five plaintiffs to arbitration, and dismissed the claims of the fifth plaintiff with leave to amend the complaint. On October 31, 2023, the remaining plaintiff in the Northern District of California action filed an amended complaint, which Tesla moved to dismiss, and on May 15, 2024, the Court granted in part and denied in part Tesla’s motion. On May 6, 2025, the plaintiff filed a motion for class certification, which Tesla opposed, and on August 18, 2025, the Court certified a limited class comprised of California consumers who are not subject to an arbitration agreement. On September 1, 2025, Tesla filed a petition in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for permission to appeal the class certification order, and on December 18, 2025, the Ninth Circuit granted Tesla’s petition. On January 5, 2026, the district court stayed the case pending resolution of the proceedings before the Ninth Circuit. Tesla’s opening brief in the Ninth Circuit is due on March 12, 2026. On October 2, 2023, a similar proposed class action was filed in San Diego County Superior Court in California. Tesla subsequently removed the San Diego County case to federal court and on January 8, 2024, the federal court granted Tesla’s motion to transfer the case to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Tesla moved to compel arbitration, which the plaintiff did not oppose, and on June 27, 2024, the Court stayed the case pending arbitration.
Source: Item 3, via Note 13 – Commitments and Contingencies, 10-K 0001628280-26-003952 vs Item 3, via Note 14 – Commitments and Contingencies, 10-K 0001628280-25-003063
Risk Factors 236 words changed in this paragraph; it is 61% similar to last year's version.
We are subject to legal and regulatory requirements, political uncertainty and social, environmental and economic conditions in numerous jurisdictions, including markets in which we generate significant sales, over which we sales. We have little control and over these matters which are inherently unpredictable. Our operations in such jurisdictions, particularly as a company based in the U.S., with additional manufacturing operations in China and Europe, create risks relating to conforming our products to regulatory and safety requirements and charging and other electric infrastructures; organizing local operating entities; establishing, staffing and managing foreign business locations; attracting local customers; navigating U.S. and foreign government taxes, regulations and permit requirements; enforceability of our contractual rights; trade restrictions, customs regulations, tariffs and price or exchange controls; and preferences in foreign nations for domestically manufactured products. For example, we monitor tax legislation changes on a global basis, including changes arising as a result of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s multi-jurisdictional plan of action to address base erosion and profit shifting. Such Further, the United States has recently announced changes to U.S. trade policy, including increasing tariffs on imports, in many cases significantly, and potentially renegotiating or terminating existing trade agreements. The exact scope of any such tariffs that will ultimately be implemented is not known at this time, and the impacts on our business and costs of our products is uncertain. Retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries on U.S. exports, further increases in U.S. tariffs, and the uncertainties surrounding domestic and foreign tariffs have impacted the pricing for our products, which could adversely impact demand. We cannot predict whether, and to what extent, there may be changes to international trade agreements, such as those with China, or whether, or to what extent, quotas, duties, additional tariffs, export controls or other restrictions will be changed or imposed by the United States or by other countries. Historically, U.S. special tariff actions have increased our costs for vehicles manufactured in the United States and increased costs for those same vehicles when exported from the United States. Further, as it pertains to electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries for our energy storage products, while the Company has continuously aimed for a strong domestic supply chain, certain parts and components are difficult or impossible to source within the United States. A change on any of these conditions may increase our costs, impact our ability to sell our products and require significant management attention, and may harm our business business, prospects, financial condition and operating results if we are unable to manage them effectively.
Source: Item 1A, 10-K 0001628280-26-003952 vs Item 1A, 10-K 0001628280-25-003063
MD&A 166 words changed in this paragraph; it is 37% similar to last year's version.
We use the fair value method of accounting for our restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), stock options and restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted to employees and for our employee stock purchase plan (the “ESPP”) (“the ESPP”) to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for the stock-based awards. The fair value Stock-based compensation expense for equity awards is a non-cash expense and is recorded in Cost of stock option awards with only service and/or performance conditions is estimated on revenues, Research and development expense and Selling, general and administrative expense in the grant or offering date using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes option-pricing model requires inputs such as the risk-free interest rate, expected term and expected volatility. These inputs are subjective and generally require significant judgment. The fair value consolidated statements of RSUs is measured on the grant date operations based on the closing fair market value function of our common stock. The resulting cost is recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the awards, usually the vesting period, which is generally four years for stock options and RSUs and six months for the ESPP. Stock-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis, net of actual forfeitures in the period. employee.
Source: Item 7, 10-K 0001628280-26-003952 vs Item 7, 10-K 0001628280-25-003063
Accounting Policies 141 words changed in this paragraph; it is 30% similar to last year's version.
In December 2023, 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) ASU No. 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures 2025-11, Interim Reporting (Topic 740). 270): Narrow-Scope Improvements. The ASU requires disaggregated information clarifies interim disclosure requirements and the applicability of Topic 270. The objective of the amendments is to provide further clarity about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as additional information on income taxes paid. the current interim disclosure requirements. The ASU is effective on a prospective basis for interim reporting periods within annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2024. 2027. Adoption of this ASU can be applied either a prospective or a retrospective approach. Early adoption is also permitted for annual financial statements that permitted. We are currently evaluating the provisions of this ASU and do not expect this ASU to have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. This ASU will likely result in the required additional disclosures being included in a material impact on our consolidated financial statements, once adopted. statements.
Source: Item 8, Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, 10-K 0001628280-26-003952 vs Item 8, Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, 10-K 0001628280-25-003063