Stocks continue to have a strong 2019 with double-digit percentage gains for all three of the major market indexes. Some investments are doing even better, naturally, but there are also several stocks that are going the wrong way.
Noodles (NDLS 6.40%), Lyft (LYFT 2.84%), and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (RRGB 6.07%) are among the nearly 200 exchange-listed stocks that hit fresh 52-weeks lows during an otherwise buoyant trading week. Let's take a closer look to see what's ailing these three low-flying investments.
Image source: Lyft.
Noodles
It's been nearly six years since Noodles turned heads by going public, aiming to put a fast-casual spin on international pasta entrees. Things haven't gone well, and the stock now trades for a little more than a third of its $18 IPO price.
Noodles reported flat revenue growth in its latest quarter as a 3.7% increase in systemwide comps was offset by the chain having 19 fewer locations than it did a year earlier. It's not just top-line growth that has been unimpressive. Noodles has missed Wall Street's profit target in three of the past four quarters. Positive comps are the silver lining here, and Noodles is doing a good of trying to woo carb counters by putting out zucchini and other veggie noodles.
Lyft
It's hard to call out a stock in which five of its first six trading days took place last week, but the country's second largest ridesharing service did buckle below its IPO price to hit a new low last week. There was no all-time high to offset the swoon, as the high-water mark was established a week earlier.
Lyft is growing quickly. Revenue more than doubled last year, as it tries to close the gap with market-leader Uber. However, Lyft is taking a hit with every ride it delivers. Lyft's $2.16 billion in revenue for all of 2018 is undone by the $911.3 million loss it served up to make it happen. Lyft will continue to be volatile, but it won't be hitting a new high or a new low every week.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
This may seem like a great time to be flipping burgers, but not every chain is faring as well as the Golden Arches. Red Robin with its table service and steak fries is struggling to woo investors. The stock hit its lowest level since late 2011 on Friday after announcing the retirement of its CEO and a rough preliminary look at the first quarter that recently came to a close.
Red Robin warned that same-restaurant sales declined 3.6%, fueled in part by challenging weather at many of its key regional markets. In late February, it was expecting marginally positive comps for the entire year. Red Robin is another chain that has slowed expansion, and it has seen revenue and earnings falter in recent reports. Uncertainty at the top and the struggle to turn sales around will hurt any company's credibility with investors.
