LYFT INC -- An Interesting Idea
Dear Friends & Connections:
I like writing down my ideas on the stock market. Last Friday, wrote down my view on an interesting stock -- Lyft Inc. I would like to share my view with you. Below, please, find my view.
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Date: January 29, 2020
- LYFT INCORPORATED
At Stock-Tips-Weekly.com llc, we would like to buy the LYFT shares at current price levels. While Lyft Inc has yet to post a profit, we expect an improving bottom. And this is the reason for our position on the LYFT shares.
Data source: NASDAQ
The lack of profitability has weighted on the LYFT shares right after its IPO on 2 April 2019 when, having been priced at $72, opened trading at $84. The stock steadily trended lower, bottoming out at $37.70 on October 10, 2019. The current price is $46.84, or 24.2% above the floor. It is our view that the decline has adequately reflected investor sentiment, with current levels fully incorporating the negative sentiment. The LYFT shares should be bolstered going forward by the prospect for improving bottom line, financial condition and liquidity. See LINKEDIN.LYFT.FIN.STMT.01.29.20.1, below.
Financial strength is of primary importance for the Péle methodology for doubling a portfolio’s value in 12-months. Specifically, metrics for liquidity and for debt management are emphasized, plus those of profitability. Lastly, we underscore management capability.
The current LYFT condition does not exactly fit the Péle methodology. However, given our view of positively shifting economic performance for the company, we see a near future where LYFT slowly moves into sights of our standards. It is for this reason that we like the LYFT. See LINKEDIN.PELE.LYFT.01.29.20.1, below.
Our 12-month target price for LYFT is $70, a 49.4% above the current levels.
THE COMPANY
Lyft Incorporated is an online social platform in the duopolistic ride-sharing industry. The company holds 30% market share, compared to Uber’s 65%. Another rival, Gett Inc, has recently announced plans to fold its operations in New York City, the industry’s largest market. Lyft and Uber compete with traditional taxis.
Lyft also offers a sharing system for scooters and bicycles through its subsidiary, the New York City-based Motivate International Inc (formerly Alta Bicycle Share). Motivate International has Citi Bike as its flagship. Lastly, Lyft runs a food delivery services that competes with DoorDash (32% market share), GrubHub (31%), Uber Eats (30%) and others. Lyft operates in 660 US and 15 Canadian cities. The company’s 2 million drivers serve 30 million riders. The San Francisco-based company was foundered in 2012 by Marcus Cohn, John Zimmer, Rajat Suri, Matt van Horn and Logan Green.
RIDESHARING
Using Lyft’s iOS and Android-based phone mobile app, riders hail nearby cars and pay for the ride (plus, tips) with credit cards, Lyft Gift card, Apple Pay, Google Wallet or PayPal accounts.
Lyft is best known for ride shares to common destinations. The company has four categories of rider services. XL is for accommodating six riders. For four riders use LYFT Lux, where they choose their preferred luxury car. LYFT Black have cars with black exterior. LYFT Black XL, also of black exterior cars, accommodates six riders. Ride share represent 87% of the company’s total revenues.
Lyft riders are insurance covered in 3 areas: contingent comprehensive & collision, contingent liability and uninsured/underinsured motorists.
BICYCLE SHARING
Bicycle sharing is popular globally. In Europe, at least 15 systems are designated. Other regions are as follows: Americas (10), plus Asia (17). While bicycles sharing has long been popular, it is only recently that it has assumed a carefully outlined corporate model. In some eight nations, universities have bicycle sharing systems. Public-private partnerships is a widespread model for bike shares. In the United States one finds Bay Wheels, Biketown PDX, Nice Ride Minnesota and Capital Bikeshare as leading examples. Some of the more popular EU and Russian brands are Cyclocity, Adshel, bicing, OV-fiets, Velobike, Publibike, Call-a-Bike and Green Bike Scheme. Canada’s systems include BIXI Montréal, VeloGo, and Mobi. Bike Itaú and Bike Sampa hail from Brazil. Mobike, Ofo, Bluegogo and Xiaoming are the more popular systems in China. Not to forget Buckeye Bikes, CrimsonBikes, NYU Bike Share, viaCycle@GT and Zagster as university run systems in the United States, plus similar ones around the world.
Just like most other systems, Lyft’s comprises automated stations for bicycle pick-up and drop-off.
OWNERSHIP
Leading share owners of Lyft include Rakuten (11.0%), General Motors Corporation (6.6%), Fidelity Investments (6.5%), Andreessen Horowitz (5.3%) and CapitalG (4.4%).
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It is my hope that you've enjoyed reading this piece.
Anin-Kofi Addo
(CFA since 1989)