Wall Street skeptical of Tesla's promise to post net profit

Tesla is showing some promising signs that it will make money as advertised in the third quarter, but Wall Street isn't buying it.

The electric car and solar panel maker delivered more than 80,000 vehicles from July through September, and Musk told employees late in the quarter that it was close to profitability.

Still, of 15 analysts who follow the company, not one expects Tesla to make money. As a group, they expect a net loss of $173.8 million, or 95 cents per share.

Tesla and Musk have defied odds before. Musk told employees in late September that the company was close to proving naysayers wrong.