LYFT - Lyft, Inc.
| Previous Close | 47.98 |
| Open | 48.19 |
| Bid | 47.27 x 800 |
| Ask | 47.49 x 900 |
| Day's Range | 47.32 - 48.93 |
| 52 Week Range | 37.07 - 88.60 |
| Volume | 4,134,736 |
| Avg. Volume | 6,008,109 |
| Market Cap | 14.132B |
| Beta (5Y Monthly) | N/A |
| PE Ratio (TTM) | N/A |
| EPS (TTM) | -6.66 |
| Earnings Date | Feb 10, 2020 |
| Forward Dividend & Yield | N/A (N/A) |
| Ex-Dividend Date | N/A |
| 1y Target Est | 66.13 |
- American City Business Journals
Phoenix delays Uber, Lyft fee increase until Supreme Court rules
The city of Phoenix decided Wednesday to delay putting new ground transportation fees in place at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport until after the Arizona Supreme Court rules whether the fee increases are constitutional.
- American City Business Journals
Baker proposes hiking Uber, Lyft fee to fund MBTA improvements
The state would use the extra revenue to implement the recommendations made by a panel that found last month that "safety is not a priority at the T."
- Bloomberg
Uber Test Lets Some California Drivers Set Their Own Fares
(Bloomberg) -- Uber Technologies Inc. is allowing some drivers in California to set their own rates, an effort to bolster the company’s argument that they’re independent workers and not employees.The feature is being tested across some airport routes “to preserve flexible work” for California drivers, a spokesman said. It’s the company’s latest tweak in response to Assembly Bill 5, which went into effect Jan. 1 and seeks to reclassify gig-economy workers as employees, entitled to benefits like sick days, and not independent contractors. Earlier this month, Uber tweaked the driver app to end flat-surge pricing, remove penalties for rejecting trips and display how much drivers can make on each trip.Drivers at Santa Barbara, Sacramento and Palm Springs airports will be able to increase their fares in 10% increments, to as much as five times the normal rate starting Tuesday. Uber will refine the feature in the coming weeks and, depending on the test results, could deploy it more broadly in the months ahead, the person said. The Wall Street Journal earlier reported on the fare test.California’s new labor law could upend the multi-billion-dollar operations built by Uber and other companies by leveraging on-demand labor. Uber, Lyft Inc., DoorDash Inc. and Postmates Inc. are championing a California ballot initiative to repeal the law while guaranteeing a minimum pay of $21 an hour and granting some benefits to drivers.Uber and Lyft analysts have flagged the law as an existential threat to the companies’ business models, citing costs that could increase by as much as 30%.Lyft President John Zimmer declined to comment on whether his company would emulate Uber’s move to allow drivers to set their own prices. “What’s happening in California is a big opportunity to think about how to combine the benefits of this new type of work with benefits that workers deserve,” he said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. “So we’re navigating that.”(Updates with Lyft president’s quote in the last paragraph.)\--With assistance from Candy Cheng and Jason Kelly.To contact the reporter on this story: Lizette Chapman in San Francisco at lchapman19@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Mark Milian at mmilian@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Robin AjelloFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- American City Business Journals
CEO of United Way Bay Area to retire after 40 years with nonprofit
When Anne Wilson recently realized she had reached the four decade mark at the same Bay Area nonprofit, it struck her as both a profound achievement and realization that the time to pass the torch had come. CEO of the United Way Bay Area since 2000, the 67-year-old Wilson says now is a good opportunity to bring in fresh leadership to the local offices of the nationally recognized nonprofit. "I think every organization needs new leadership after a certain amount of time." Wilson will step down on Feb. 28 but will continue to work with the UWBA to ensure smooth transition — expected by spring — as the United Way Worldwide conducts a national search for her replacement.
- TheStreet.com
[video]Uber Needs to Curb Its U.S. and Latin American Market Share Losses
Lyft has been gradually taking share from Uber in the U.S., while China's Didi has been gaining ground in Brazil and Mexico.
- Autoblog
Lyft’s autonomous vehicle partner Magna is done with self-driving tech
Two years after teaming up with Lyft to collaborate on self-driving technology, Magna said that partnership's coming to an end. The auto parts maker plans to focus on assisted driving products, instead of fully autonomous tech. Magna isn't fully severing ties with Lyft, in which it invested $200 million in 2018, but the self-driving partnership seems to have been impacting its bottom line.
- Bloomberg
Private Equity's Mountain of Dry Powder Is a Danger Sign
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Investors keep flocking to private equity in Asia even though returns are declining. They should take heed: Payouts are likely to get worse from here, rather than better.The hunt for yield in a low-interest world has spurred institutional investors from China Investment Corp. to Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund to join the rush into the alternative asset class. Private equity firms founded by former veterans of Warburg Pincus and KKR & Co. are seeking to raise at least $4.5 billion for new funds investing in China, Cathy Chan of Bloomberg News reported Thursday, in the latest sign of the region’s burgeoning appetite for nonpublic investments.New York-based KKR, meanwhile, is targeting more than $12.5 billion for its fourth Asian fund, which would surpass the record $10.6 billion raised by China’s Hillhouse Capital Group in 2018.(2) At the end of June, private equity firms in Asia were sitting on a record $361 billion of unspent capital, according to London-based market research firm Preqin.The returns haven’t lived up to the hype. Funds focused on Asia generated an internal rate of return of 12.8% last year, down from 15.5% in 2018, according to Preqin. That’s below what investors could have made outside the region: North American funds chalked up an IRR of 16.4% in 2019 while those centered on Europe returned 18%.Even brand-name private equity shops have sputtered. Hillhouse’s $10.6 billion fund saw its IRR slip by 5.16 percentage points between September 2018 and the third quarter of 2019. Over the same period, the MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 3.3%, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. KKR’s two existing Asian mega-funds have had varying success.It’s getting harder for private equity firms to realize returns by selling companies on stock markets as the world wakes up to the reality that not all hot technology startups will be IPO winners. That follows disappointing debuts for high-profile names such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc., along with the collapse of WeWork’s U.S. share offering last year.Much of the private-equity action in Asia has focused on China, which has also had its share of setbacks. OneConnect Financial Technology Co., a unit of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co., cut the size of its U.S. IPO by almost half last month, while Oyo Hotels is firing thousands of staff in China and India. Like WeWork and Uber, both companies are backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp.The U.S.-China trade war has also had a damping effect, with some private equity-invested companies finding themselves embroiled in the tensions. Facial recognition startup Megvii Technology Ltd. delayed its IPO in Hong Kong after it was included in a U.S. blacklist cutting off its access to key American technology. Bytedance Inc., owner of the wildly popular video app TikTok, is now a subject of a U.S. national security review, and is weighing the sale of a majority stake in the unit.All that considered, it isn’t surprising that the value of private-equity backed trade sales dropped 14% to $28.5 billion last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, while share sales by private equity owners slumped 27% to $6.4 billion, declining for a third year to the lowest since 2013.While the U.S.-China phase one trade deal signed last week offers some hope of an improvement in conditions, money is still likely to keep piling up in Asian private equity. For one thing, there aren’t many better alternatives. Institutional investors need to diversify: They can’t keep all their funds in U.S. equities, even if these have been going gangbusters for years.But that doesn't mean individuals need to follow suit. Private equity investments are more risky because they are illiquid and take years to pay off. Smart investors should see the ever-growing piles of dry powder as a sign of danger rather than success.\--With assistance from Dani Yang and Irene Huang. (Corrects to remove non-annualized MSCI index comparisons in the second chart, deletes reference to KKR fund underperforming the market.)(1) The Hillhouse fund is the largest devoted specificallly to Asian investing. Chinese state-backed, or policy, funds such as a $29 billion vehicle created in October to invest in the semiconductor industry are larger.To contact the author of this story: Nisha Gopalan at ngopalan3@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Matthew Brooker at mbrooker1@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners.Nisha Gopalan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering deals and banking. She previously worked for the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones as an editor and a reporter.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- GuruFocus.com
These 4 Beaten-Down Stocks Are Must-Haves on Your Watch List
As the gig economy is expected to double in value over the next several years, it is important for investors to keep an eye on some promising investment opportunities within this space Continue reading...
- Bloomberg
Airbnb Revamps Corporate Governance, Tying Bonuses to Safety
(Bloomberg) -- Airbnb Inc. is laying the groundwork for a public market debut later this year, announcing a new corporate governance strategy that values safety, sustainability, diversity and accountability.The home-share startup has said it will track guest safety incidents, verify all seven million listings by December, measure its global carbon footprint and enhance employee diversity. To achieve its ambitions, Airbnb is creating a new Stakeholder Committee on the board and tying staff bonuses to safety metrics, according to a statement Friday.In addition, Airbnb has promised to be transparent, reporting progress at an upcoming Stakeholder Day that can be attended by guests, hosts, communities, employees and investors.“Building an enduringly successful business goes hand-in-hand with making a positive contribution to society,” the company said. “Increasingly, this is what citizens, consumers, employees, communities and policy makers desire -- even demand.”Airbnb has been on the defensive over safety since a mass shooting in October at a party house in Orinda, about 20 miles east of San Francisco, where five people died. Local media started to highlight the number of shootings at Airbnb rentals, and family of those slain questioned how the platform vets its guests. In December, the Wall Street Journal published an investigation showing how Airbnb employees who pushed for stricter safety measures, like requiring users to supply a government ID, were overruled by company executives who feared this could deter new guests or hosts.The company is also entangled in battles with cities around the country over regulations and has been accused of discrimination by hosts. With a $31 billion private valuation, Airbnb is poised to be one of the most high-profile market listings this year. Getting ahead of some of the concerns could help appease investors who may be wary of the unfriendly reception other tech titans, like Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc. and Slack Technologies Inc. received last year.The new Stakeholder Committee will be led by Belinda Johnson, who is due to step down as chief operating officer and join the board in March. The company will also award $100 million in grants to support local projects that promote cultural heritage, economic vitality and sustainable communities and demonstrate clear local impact, according to the announcement.These new initiatives will be demanding on the company as it prepares to go public; verifying every listing by December means staff will have to work through tens of thousands of listings a day. But Airbnb says it’s just getting started.“When we first sat down to begin this work, we knew we were undertaking a difficult and serious task. We allowed ourselves to think about problems and opportunities that will take multiple teams working over multiple years to solve,” the company said. “We are nowhere near finished.”To contact the reporter on this story: Olivia Carville in New York at ocarville1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Molly Schuetz at mschuetz9@bloomberg.net, Robin AjelloFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
- InvestorPlace
Forget Lyft, Buy These 2 Stocks Instead
When it comes to Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT), I'm on the fence. While I like the idea that Uber (NYSE:UBER) has a major competitor in North America to keep prices low, it's terrible if you want to make money off Lyft stock.Source: Roman Tiraspolsky / Shutterstock.com InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsIn December, I stated that Lyft's pathway to profitability is best achieved by raising prices. This wasn't an original idea, mind you. It came from Barclays Capital's analysis of ride-hailing trips in New York City. Although this theory provided a glimmer of hope, I wanted nothing to do with it or Uber. The fact analysts have been reasonably positive about both stocks in 2020, be damned. What's There to Like About Lyft Stock?First, I often repeat the wise words of Canadian billionaire money manager Stephen Jarislowsky in my articles about recent IPOs because they are spot on."New issues are typically well promoted," wrote Jarislowsky in his 2005 book, The Investment Zoo. "My experience is that you can buy nine out of 10 new issues at a lower price a year or two later … I generally avoid new issues…."Here we sit, 10 months after Lyft's IPO, and its stock price is down 40% through Jan. 16. That provides interested investors with a much cheaper entry point.A second point to make is that even analysts such as Bernstein's Mark Shmulik, who's got a target price of $48 on Lyft stock (it's at $47 as I write this), admits Lyft's got some things going for it. "The good news is that they operate in a market that appears to be rationalizing, which helps drive bottom-line margin improvement" Shmulik wrote in a Jan. 8 note to clients. "… Our revenue forecast remains steady at 26% Y/Y in-line with consensus."Finally, InvestorPlace's Brad Moon recently stated that out of 37 analysts, 23 rate Lyft a buy with a median target price of $70, providing investors with potential upside of 49%. In a year in which many experts expect the markets to tread water, an almost 50% return is very enticing. However, with profitability not expected until at least 2021, Lyft has got to execute at a very high level. I don't see that the risks are worth it. Instead, I would argue that if you did a screen of U.S. stocks with a market capitalization of $2 billion or higher, my guess is that those trading directly above and below Lyft stock in terms of share price would present a better investment opportunity. This time next year, I'll be sure to let readers know if I was right. This Drink Maker Had a Tough 2019National Beverage (NASDAQ:FIZZ), the maker of LaCroix sparkling water, lost almost 30% of its value in 2019. It now trades for about a third of its all-time high hit in September 2017.First, here's the good news. On Dec. 6, National Beverage reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 70 cents, 2 cents higher than the consensus estimate. FIZZ stock gained 12% on the news. The company noted that its November orders were ahead of the same period a year earlier. And its new Hi-Biscus flavor for LaCroix drink was flying off the shelves. The bad news is that the company got hit with a lawsuit last June that alleged LaCroix sparkling water isn't nearly as good for you as the company claims. It's because of this lawsuit and PepsiCo's (NASDAQ:PEP) commitment to spend more on Bubly, its sparkling water brand, that investors are lining up to short its stock.If I had to bet my last $5, I'd probably go with FIZZ because it makes money. The Tree House RocksThe stock directly below Lyft on my screen is TreeHouse Foods (NYSE:THS), a leading manufacturer of private-label packaged foods and beverages. It might not be a glamorous business, but it helps keep grocery-store brands on the shelves. On Jan. 13, TreeHouse announced that its deal to sell its ready-to-eat cereal business to Post Holdings (NYSE:POST) was terminated due to opposition from the Federal Trade Commission. As a result, the company will put the business up for sale once more, looking for a buyer that's not already heavily involved in the RTE cereal business. Going back to the drawing board is never a good thing. But that's business. Eventually, TreeHouse will find a suitable buyer. In the meantime, it expects to generate revenues and adjusted earnings from continuing operations in 2019 of $4.3 billion and $2.30 a share, respectively. Down 20% over the past 52 weeks, TreeHouse's valuation is cheaper than it's been in five years. It's not risk free, mind you, but it won't be nearly as volatile as Lyft in 2020.Ultimately, both of these alternatives aren't nearly as sexy as Lyft stock -- but who cares? All you should care about is making money over the long haul.At the time of this writing Will Ashworth did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The Top 5 Dow Jones Stocks to Buy for 2020 * 7 Fintech ETFs to Buy Now for Fabulous Financial Exposure * 3 Tech Stocks to Play Ahead of Earnings The post Forget Lyft, Buy These 2 Stocks Instead appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- Investopedia
Uber Stock Enters New Uptrend
Uber stock has attracted significant buying interest, signaling a new uptrend, while rival Lyft remains stuck in the mud.
- InvestorPlace
7 5G Stocks to Connect Your Portfolio To
[Editor's note: "7 5G Stocks to Connect Your Portfolio To" was previously published in November 2019. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.]I have discussed the importance of various 5G stocks to buy before, but, of course, such a notion is nothing new. This latest telecom innovation represents a shift in the industry. Major players and even government bodies have pushed for 5G integration. But to truly understand the phenomenon behind 5G stocks, we should look back in time to the 4G upgrade.It's been more than a decade since the first 4G handset hit U.S. retail stores. Back then, we witnessed the same challenges that we must address today; namely, the lack of viable networks.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsHowever, the massive increase in data transmission speeds made efforts to overcome the challenges worthwhile. For instance, some early 4G networks download speeds of 100Mbps, substantially greater than an average 3G download speed of 2Mbps. That's the allure of 5G stocks.Moreover, think about the amazing technologies that either sprouted or were improved via 4G's introduction. For example, we take for granted today that we can hail a ride through Uber (NYSE:UBER) or Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT). But the viability of this platform was really only possible through the 4G network. The same can be said about mobile streaming on services such as Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). * 7 Large-Cap Stocks to Give a Wide Berth In other words, 5G doesn't just offer an industry from which to pick stocks to buy. Instead, this technology enables other technologies to flourish. It's a force-multiplier, one that comes around only once every several years.With that, here are my seven picks for 5G stocks to buy: AT&T (T)Source: Lester Balajadia / Shutterstock.com AT&T (NYSE:T) is a name that almost everyone is familiar with. However, it doesn't get much love as a candidate for stocks to buy. Even though T stock represents an iconic brand, the underlying company has unprecedented debt levels from expensive acquisitions.Even worse, those acquisitions apparently aren't gaining satisfactory traction. Of course, I'm referring to the $85 billion Time Warner acquisition. Initially, AT&T bought the company on hopes of original content strength and streaming revenue opportunities. However, fears of AT&T cannibalizing itself has put off some investors from T stock.But with all due respect, I think this perspective is shortsighted, as signified by the recent AT&T rally. I believe AT&T is one of the best 5G stocks to buy. With the coming network rollout, it's not just about technological prowess; instead, the rollout will require massive resources and wide-ranging telecom assets.Few names have the capacity to integrate 5G competently. Although it has some big issues, T stock is one of those players. Qualcomm (QCOM)Source: Shutterstock Under almost any other circumstance, Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) would easily qualify as one of the best 5G stocks to buy. Thanks to its next-generation chips, Qualcomm has an early head start on this transformative telecom innovation. That right there is a good enough reason to seriously consider QCOM stock.However, legal troubles with Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) have cast a dark cloud over QCOM stock.Typically, semiconductor firms sell licenses of their core technologies, but Qualcomm charges royalties on top of innovations that are only loosely associated with the initial license.After settling the suit last year, Qualcomm added about 50% to its stock price and has since marched steadily upward. * 10 Cheap Stocks to Buy Under $10 As I have argued in the past, tech firms have ceased to exist in a vacuum. Instead, we're in a tech cold war for future digital dominance. Therefore, I believe the future is bright for QCOM stock because, well, it has to be. Micron (MU)Source: Shutterstock Speaking of vacuums, the 5G industry itself doesn't ply its trade in isolation. Instead, you see natural synergies and partnerships to help make the most of the tech in the shortest time possible. That's why on your shopping list of 5G stocks to buy, you shouldn't overlook Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) and MU stock.Earlier this year, Micron and Qualcomm announced a partnership to develop 5G-enabled autonomous driving platforms. This is a great example of the far-reaching impact of 5G technologies. With exponentially faster transmission speeds, autonomous vehicles can more quickly transition from concept to reality. Additionally, 5G speeds should make such AVs safer as they can react to dynamic conditions or dangers.Another plus for MU stock is the geopolitical environment. Micron of all companies on my list of stocks to buy recognizes the economic threat that is China. After suffering sometimes brazen acts of corporate espionage, Micron realizes that American tech firms haven't played on equal ground with the Asian juggernaut.But thanks to the no-nonsense Trump administration, MU stock has some executive support. Moving forward, I like that measure of confidence. Nvidia (NVDA)Source: Shutterstock If you're a hardcore gamer, you typically associate Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) with its gaming-centric graphics processors.However, the semiconductor firm has evolved into a comprehensive tech umbrella, providing solutions with data science, artificial intelligence, and deep learning. But what does this have to do with 5G stocks to buy?Simply, we're moving to a point now where no tech innovation occurs in isolation. Prior to 4G, most computerized solutions focused on data analytics and big data. But with 4G's data-transmission speed upgrade, engineers were able to realize multiple AI applications, such as AVs and other automated platforms. Since Nvidia leads in these innovations, NVDA stock provides attractive exposure. * 9 Up-and-Coming Small-Cap Stocks to Watch But with 5G, several industries are looking to take the next step in automation. In many cases, this means that companies are looking to replace human operators with AI-driven systems.Of course, such a notion is further out on the horizon. Still, I'd keep NVDA stock on my must-watch list, especially since shares are currently deflated relative to their all-time highs. Xilinx (XLNX)It's a theme that consistently runs throughout 5G stocks: no one player owns the entire 5G supply chain. Thus, part of the problem regarding the next-gen telecom rollout is the broader lack of equipment upgrades.Simply put, 5G requires multiple components, from the network down to the chips used to facilitate data transmissions.While it might not be a household name, 5G investors should check out Xilinx (NASDAQ:XLNX) and XLNX stock.For one thing, the company has introduced a groundbreaking chipset that covers the entire sub-6 GHz spectrum. This is essentially the radio frequency that makes 5G possible.Second, several 5G players already use Xilinx chips. That number will surely rise as the rollout deepens. Furthermore, Xilinx will likely pick up additional clients, making XLNX stock an attractive proposition.Finally, Xilinx offers critical solutions in growing and lucrative markets such as AI and data centers. Thus, no matter what happens with 5G, XLNX stock will likely benefit from robust demand. Ericsson (ERIC)Without any historical context, 5G investors would probably peg Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) as one of their top stocks to buy.After all, Ericsson provides the communications equipment that makes the 5G rollout practically accessible. Therefore, ERIC stock is an easy buy.Of course, Ericsson's long-term price chart tells a different tale. During the tech bubble of the late 1990s to early 2000s, ERIC stock was a legitimate three-digit security. As we all know, the bursting of that bubble deflated virtually all tech players.Later, ERIC stock peaked around the $20 level before collapsing during the last major housing crisis and the Great Recession. With shares currently trading hands at under $10, I can understand the hesitation regarding holding the bag. * 4 Energy Stocks to Power the New Year However, Ericsson does have a major geopolitical tailwind in the form of the U.S.-China trade war. With Huawei at least temporarily out of the picture, Ericsson has an opportunity to take advantage. This is one of the riskier propositions among 5G stocks to buy. But if you can stomach it, ERIC stock offers an intriguing opportunity. Semtech (SMTC)Analog and mixed-signal semiconductor supplier Semtech (NASDAQ:SMTC) offers natural exposure to 5G, along with other lucrative segments like the Internet of Things, data centers, and mobility. That said, SMTC stock has seen better days. Shares enjoyed a solid start to the year before negative earnings revisions for the year attracted volatility.However, I believe the nearer-term volatility in SMTC stock is just a blip on the radar. For one thing, Semtech features very stable financials. It has a relatively small debt load relative to its cash holdings.Moreover, Semtech has delivered consistently positive earnings, leading to an equally consistent free cash flow. Thus, the company can respond to fresh opportunities without worrying about the financial impact.Second, the 5G network is bound to grow in both scope and complexity. Not only are individual companies racing for an edge, so too are countries. Such dynamics provide a pathway to profitability for SMTC stock, making the nearer-term noise just that: noise.As of this writing, Josh Enomoto was long T stock. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 9 Retail Stocks Goldman Sachs Says Are Ready to Rip * 7 Services Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2019 * 6 Stocks to Buy and 1 to Sell Based on Insider Trading The post 7 5G Stocks to Connect Your Portfolio To appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- InvestorPlace
You Should Down Luckin Coffee Stock While It’s Hot
Amid the much hyped but ultimately disappointing spate of initial public offerings stands Luckin Coffee (NASDAQ:LK). Unlike names such as Uber (NYSE:UBER) or Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT), Luckin doesn't deal with technology per se. Rather, it focuses on delivering a longtime crowd favorite, coffee, to an emerging economic superpower. But has the dramatic enthusiasm for LK stock reached the point of irrationality?Source: Keitma / Shutterstock.com It's a fair question for prospective buyers to ask. Since its IPO price of $17, LK stock has launched toward its present level above $45. Doing the quick math, that's more than a 165% return. Even more impressive, shares haven't even turned a year old yet. Still, fresh names in the markets have a tendency for volatility.However, the investors that have bought in comfort themselves with Luckin Coffee's underlying sector. Although China is traditionally a tea-drinking mecca, the Asian juggernaut has rapidly embraced Western cultural elements and products. And one of the longstanding traditions of the West is coffee.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsMoreover, Chinese consumers have embraced the pick-me-up. According to one statistic, China's coffee market will be worth something like $145 billion by 2025. * 9 Up-and-Coming Small-Cap Stocks to Watch For perspective, the U.S. coffee market reached between $87 billion to $88 billion in 2018. Now you can see why so many early-bird investors are enthused about LK stock.But should you dive into this name at this point in the game? Although the potential for upside certainly exists, here are three reasons why I'm cautious over the long run. Margins for LK Stock Are WorrisomeTypically, investors give upstart growth firms like Luckin Coffee some leeway in terms of profitability metrics. They understand that some companies must eschew profits for growth. Once their expansionary strategy is complete, these firms can later switch back to returning value for shareholders.However, not all businesses and industries are the same. For food and beverage companies, for example, I'd much prefer them to be profitable out of the gate. In this case, coffee is coffee -- it shouldn't cost that much to make relative to top-line sales.And that's not just my opinion. Experts in the food and beverage market suggest aiming for gross margins around 75%.But for LK stock, the underlying gross margin was negative until the quarter ending June 30. Plus, in the most recently reported quarter ending Sep. 30, net income losses widened year-over-year.Now, I'm willing to overlook such metrics for a tech firm that is developing a quantum computer for the masses. But Luckin is not in that business at all. Instead, it's making coffee, which is hardly a unique product. Thus, to minimize my risk as a potential shareholder, I'd prefer profitability. Certainly, I don't want to see deeper losses. Luckin's Playing a Dangerous GameFor the optimists of LK stock, they often point to the underlying company's duel with sector giant Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX). In order to counter Starbucks' dominant reach, Luckin is fighting fire with fire. By focusing on smaller shops that facilitate easy pick up, Luckin has expanded its physical footprint at an astonishing rate.In fact, Luckin CFO Reinout Schakel told CNBC's Squawk Box, "We have done what most people do in 15 or 20 years." Naturally, many folks jumped on LK stock on the idea that Starbucks finally met its match.I'm probably in the extreme minority here when I say this. However, when Schakel made his statement, I didn't view it as a positive. If you're growing that fast, you're at least taking serious risks somewhere else.And that somewhere else is Starbucks' delivery initiative. Partnering with Alibaba (NYSE:BABA), Starbucks has added delivery options for over 2,100 of its China-based stores. Furthermore, China Daily reported that the country's online food ordering and delivery market hit 441.5 billion yuan ($65.8 billion) in 2018. That was up 112.5% over the prior year.Yes, Luckin's expanding footprint is a positive for LK stock, don't get me wrong. However, Starbucks is at least mitigating this advantage through its deliveries. Furthermore, Chinese consumers are willing to pay for this service.With Luckin's financials stretched for growth, it's possible the company may have overextended itself with its footprint strategy. Not Understanding the AudienceOne of the biggest mistakes you can make in public speaking is not understanding your audience. By not doing your homework, you can quickly lose the purpose of your engagement. So it is with business.Through its use of aggressive discounts, Luckin has presented the image of the everyday affordable coffee shop. But if that was the real intention, it's off on the wrong foot. Based on the poor margins and steep net income losses, it will have to raise prices at some point. When it does, it will lose many of their budget-sensitive customers.Moreover, the Chinese audience is different from the Western one in that it has no historical frame of reference for pleasures of modernity. As a result, things that we take for granted here in the U.S. are often considered luxuries in China.Sure enough, one of those perceived luxuries is coffee. According to the University of Southern California's US-China Institute, many well-to-do Chinese consumers prefer name-brand, high-priced coffee because of their status symbol. "For coffee consumers in China, Starbucks and other Western coffee brands enable them to show off their wealth and good taste," Rebecca Harbeck writes.You're just not going to get that experience from and discount-brand Luckin Coffee. And when Luckin stops giving out those discounts because it can't? I'm not sure if LK stock can reasonably compete against Starbucks or other premium, internationally recognized brands.As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * 9 Up-and-Coming Small-Cap Stocks to Watch * 7 Energy Stocks to Buy on the Resurgence of the Oil Boom * 3 Standout Oil Services Stocks to Buy The post You Should Down Luckin Coffee Stock While Itas Hot appeared first on InvestorPlace.
- American City Business Journals
Truckers win again on AB 5, and Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Postmates enjoy ride
Big-rig truckers scored a victory in federal court Thursday against the California gig worker law AB 5, adding to their recent win in California state courts — both of which bode well for the Bay Area’s ride-hailing and food delivery companies.
- American City Business Journals
Here are the top Bay Area Q4 venture exits in a record year
None of the biggest venture exits came during the fourth quarter despite a record total reported for the year in the U.S. Here is a look at the ones from the Bay Area that exited with a value of $100 million or more.
- MarketWatch
Burnout could be deadly for your heart
In fact, a large study of more than 11,000 people suggests an association between feeling burned out, and having an irregular heartbeat — which could lead to blood clots, stroke, heart attack and other potentially fatal cardiac complications. Researchers from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine wanted to see what effect chronic stress and exhaustion could have on developing atrial fibrillation, aka AFib or AF, which is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that is experienced by between 2.7 million and 6.1 million Americans. AFib was mentioned on 166,793 death certificates in 2017, according to the CDC, and was the underlying cause of death in 26,077 of those deaths.
- American City Business Journals
Sutter Health partnering with Lyft to pay for patient rides
The program could see Sutter hospitals and clinics pay for both patient and employee travel with the ride-hailing service.
- Reuters
Lyft forms advisory council to improve platform safety
The Safety Advisory Council will include representatives from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), and "It's On Us", a public awareness campaign launched by former U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014. Lyft and rival Uber Technologies Inc in the past have faced criticism over safety on their platforms and have been slapped with related lawsuits. The move by Lyft comes after the release of Uber's first biennial U.S. Safety Report in December, in which the company said it received over 3,000 reports of sexual assault related to its 1.3 billion rides in the United States in 2018.
- Yahoo Finance
Uber and Lyft 'cut costs at the expense of workers,' says California lawmaker
Controversial California law, AB-5, went into effect on January 1 – but ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft are continuing to challenge the legislation, which aims to disrupt the gig economy in a way that benefits its most vulnerable workers. State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, who authored AB-5, joins The Final Round to discuss.
- Benzinga
Is 2020 The Year Of Uber? 2 Pros Discuss Key Issues
Graham said Monday on CNBC's "Squawk Box" he likes both Uber and Lyft although there are some key differences between the two companies. Lyft has a "more contained" investment profile and could grow faster than Uber and achieve profitability on time. California's new state law dictates ride hailing and other "gig economy" companies need to treat workers as employees.
- Yahoo Finance Video
Lytx's tech 'co-pilot' for drivers, here's why it's valued at $2.5 billion
Lytx's DriveCam is used as a 'co-pilot' for commercial fleets. It's able to capture driver behaviors like risky driving and events like collisions within a matter of minutes. Brandon Nixon, Lytx CEO, joins Yahoo Finance to share more about its recent investment.
- Yahoo Finance Video
Lyft assembles advisory council to improve platform’s safety
Lyft Inc. is on the verge of creating a council of experts that will advise safety precautions for both riders and drivers. Yahoo Finance’s On The Move panel break it down.
- Yahoo Finance Video
Los Angeles taxi service down 75% as Uber, Lyft dominate
The taxi service business is down 75% in Los Angeles since 2012, with ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft dominating the field. Yahoo Finance's Melody Hahm joins the On The Move panel from Los Angeles to discuss.
