A stronger Tesla returns to the spotlight for Q4 earnings

Tesla's Q4 earnings report will come Wednesday as the volatile Silicon Valley electric automaker's stock is near all-time highs with a recent run of positive news, including record 2019 deliveries and the recent launch of its Chinese factory.

Why it matters: Tesla is arguably the most important corporate actor in the movement of electric vehicles toward the mainstream, even as new manufacturers emerge and legacy automakers roll out new models.

What we're watching: Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note that big topics on their radar include...

• Tesla's target for full-year 2020 deliveries, which they expect to be set at 500,000 to 550,000 vehicles but could be higher.
• Details on this year's planned production and launch of the Model Y, a small SUV.
• Plans to ramp up production in Shanghai and the status of the planned factory in Germany.

What's next: The company, posted a surprise profit in Q3, "is expected to post an adjusted profit of $1.65 a share in the quarter, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet, compared with an adjusted profit of $1.93 a share a year earlier," the Wall Street Journal writes.

Go deeper:

• Sluggish sales throw the future of electric vehicles into uncertainty
• Tesla reports record 112,000 deliveries in 2019's 4th quarter