Tesla and SpaceX Could Announce a Merger as Soon as December

Published November 13, 2026, 8:08am ET · 3 min read

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Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA | TSLA Price Prediction) and SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX), Elon Musk’s two largest companies, are reportedly near a merger. On Thursday, November 12, 2026, a report citing people familiar with the matter said merger talks between SpaceX and Tesla are progressing. It said an announcement could come as early as December, with a slip into early 2027 also discussed.

Nothing has been signed. Neither company commented, and no one has disclosed a price, an exchange ratio, or a premium. If you own Tesla, the reported structure would convert your shares into SpaceX stock at a ratio no one has seen yet.

Tesla rose as much as 1.9% on the report and closed at $397.45, up 1.69%. SpaceX gained only 0.14% in the regular session to close at $139.94. It rose 1.44% to $141.96 in after-hours trading, while Tesla added 0.61%.

TSLA price target

What Is Reported Versus What Is on Record

The talks reportedly center on price and control, and boards and advisers on both sides are involved; under the reported structure, Tesla investors would receive SpaceX shares, so SpaceX would take over Tesla. The share count is still being negotiated.

The companies also reportedly want to close before President Trump leaves office. It remains a stated goal, but no filing sets a timetable.

The on-the-record evidence is narrower. Musk spoke. On SpaceX’s October 20, 2026 earnings call, he said: “The special committees have not reached agreement on the terms of any transaction, and obviously there’s no guarantee that they will.”

What Tesla Holders Would End Up Owning

A merger would swap your stake. You would trade an automaker and robotics business stake for a stake in rockets, Starlink satellite internet, and AI computing. In the third quarter, SpaceX had revenue of $14.60 billion. Its AI segment brought in $7.6 billion, and its Connectivity segment brought in $5.2 billion.

Tesla had more revenue, at $28.046 billion, but it made net income of $787 million. SpaceX made $4.4 billion. Tesla’s market value is $1.57 trillion, and SpaceX’s is $1.9 trillion. Each one alone is far larger than the $183 billion Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD) takeover of Mannesmann, the largest deal on record.

China Exposure Is Hard to Wall Off

SpaceX holds over $6 billion in multi-year U.S. Space Force contracts. Tesla, by contrast, depends on China, where its Giga Shanghai plant shipped 67,829 vehicles in October.

Ring-fencing would mean putting Shanghai inside a separate structure with its own governance and limits on sharing data and technology. Working that out could slow a deal or change its shape.

Musk’s Pay Package Puts Pressure on Independent Committees

Musk benefits personally. Under a change in control, his 286 million restricted shares from the 2018 package would vest early.

Musk owns about 20% of Tesla and held roughly 85% of SpaceX’s voting power. That leaves outside holders relying on the independent committees to negotiate against the man who controls the buyer.

The first checkpoint is Tesla’s December 3, 2026 annual meeting. Musk, chair Robyn Denholm, and JB Straubel are up for re-election there, along with a vote on executive pay.

What a Deal Could Mean for TSLA Stockholders

If SpaceX takes over Tesla, Tesla holders would own SpaceX. But that would be on terms set by Musk’s pay incentives, with the China question still open. SpaceX shares already trade directly, without Tesla’s 414 times earnings valuation. SpaceX’s quiet regular session suggests the market has priced in very little of a deal.

TSLA analyst ratings

The test for this view is a specific filing, and if either company files an 8-K disclosing a definitive agreement by December 31, 2026, the timeline was real. If December passes with no filing, Tesla’s 15.64% one-week gain looks overdone.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Omor Ibne Ehsan

Omor Ibne Ehsan is a writer at 24/7 Wall St. He is a self-taught investor with a focus on growth, cyclical, and dividend equities that have strong fundamentals, value, and long-term potential. He also has an interest in high-risk, high-reward investments such as penny stocks.

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