Betamax vs VHS Redux
Bradley Goldhar - Jun 16, 2023
About 40 years ago there was the videotape format war between two Japanese tech giants - Sony, that had created the Betamax system and JVC and its VHS system. In the end, the VHS technology proved to be the winner and Betamax eventually faded away (as have all videotapes). Fast forward to 2023 and another technology war seems headed towards a resolution. There are currently two types of electric vehicle (EV) charging connectors meaning electric cars cannot necessarily use all the emerging number of chargers. However, it now appears that the Tesla plug is moving closer to becoming the industry standard as both Ford and General Motors have decided to adopt it for their EVs – this will give owners access to Tesla’s charging network, the largest in the US. This news has put a “charge” into the shares of Tesla, up over 100% in 2023 (i).
| Company (Symbol) | Total Return in 2023 | Dividend Yield |
| Ford (F) | +33.7% | 4.2% |
| General Motors (GM) | +13.6% | 1.0% |
| Tesla (TSLA) | +107.7% | 0.0% |
Sources: FactSet, Values as of June 15
Brad
Senior Portfolio Manager and Senior Investment Advisor