Musk calls Tesla-SpaceX merger a 'good idea' as SpaceX posts first profit as a public company

Elon Musk announced on Tuesday that a merger between SpaceX and Tesla would be a good idea, though the final decision rests with the special committees of both companies. The merger speculation gained traction after Barclays suggested it could be announced before Tesla's annual meeting in December.

On a conference call, Musk revealed that SpaceX posted its first profit as a public company, with revenue climbing 161% to $14.58 billion for the three months ended September 30. AI revenue surged by almost 10 times to $7.56 billion, with the company tracking an annual revenue run rate of up to $1 trillion.

Musk also mentioned that SpaceX is in an inflection moment, with growth across launch, connectivity, and superintelligence. He predicted that SpaceX's annual recurring revenue by the end of 2027 would be between $500 billion and a trillion.

Starlink, the satellite-internet unit, reached 13.6 million subscribers in the third quarter, surpassing analysts' expectations of 12.19 million. However, average monthly revenue per subscriber fell from $99 in 2023 to $69 due to expansion into cheaper plans in foreign markets.

SpaceX's AI business, which includes Grok, the X social media platform, and a growing data center operation, turned a profit in the third quarter, contrasting with year-ago losses. The company expects AI revenue to become its biggest business line, providing operating strength and leverage for its satellite and launch business.