Tesla Sets November Date for Long-Delayed Shareholder Meeting Amid Growing Scrutiny

As pressure mounts from investors and legal deadlines are breached, Tesla finally schedules its 2025 shareholder meeting, spotlighting corporate governance concerns and Elon Musk’s polarizing leadership

After months of silence and increasing criticism from investors, Tesla has officially announced the date of its long-overdue annual shareholder meeting: November 6, 2025. The announcement, made Thursday, follows a wave of discontent from shareholders and legal experts over the company’s failure to comply with basic corporate governance obligations.

Tesla, incorporated in Texas, is required by state law to hold annual meetings no more than 13 months apart. Yet the scheduled November date comes four months past the legal deadline, a delay that prompted a letter of concern earlier this week from a coalition of shareholders — including public pension fund officials and Democratic leaders — demanding Tesla honor its legal and fiduciary responsibilities.

“This delay is particularly troubling in light of the growing investor scrutiny Tesla faces,” the letter stated. On Thursday, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, one of the signatories, responded to the scheduling news: “Tesla’s announcement of its annual shareholder meeting is a welcome, if belated, recognition that the rule of law applies to everyone – even the world’s richest man and his company.”

The delayed meeting adds to an already heavy burden of controversy swirling around the electric car giant and its CEO, Elon Musk. Tesla is reeling from its steepest-ever sales decline, shrinking profit margins, and a stock price that has tumbled more than 30% year-to-date. In addition, changes to U.S. electric vehicle (EV) tax incentives could cost Tesla billions.

Musk himself remains at the center of the storm. His increasingly vocal political activities, including a public falling-out with former President Donald Trump and the launch of a new political party, have sparked concern from even Tesla’s most loyal Wall Street backers. “We believe this is a tipping point in the Tesla story,” wrote Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. “The Tesla board needs to act now and set the ground rules for Musk going forward.”

Tesla has not explained the delay in its SEC filing and did not respond to media inquiries. Shareholder frustration has been compounded by the company’s tight control over investor engagement. While Tesla allows retail shareholders to submit questions for quarterly earnings calls, it selectively chooses which questions to answer — often steering clear of more pointed queries.

Although annual shareholder meetings traditionally offer limited power to investors, they remain a vital forum for corporate accountability. Proxy battles, the alternative mechanism for shareholders to drive change, are rare and costly.

In the past, shareholders have overwhelmingly supported Musk — most notably when 84% voted to reinstate his 2018 pay package, a decision later voided by a Delaware court and currently under appeal. But Musk’s escalating political entanglements and Tesla’s operational challenges may begin to shift sentiment.

As November approaches, stakeholders and governance advocates are expected to closely watch Tesla’s every move — not just for what is said, but for the broader implications on the company’s future and Musk’s increasingly scrutinized role at its helm.