Pet Valu Holdings (STAR)
PET - TSX
All those pandemic puppies must be chewing through a lot of dog food. Shares of Pet Valu Holdings jumped after the pet food and accessories retailer reported third-quarter results above expectations, including same-store sales that surged more than 20 per cent and net earnings that nearly tripled from a year earlier. With the company raising its 2021 guidance and declaring its first dividend since it went public in June, investors are licking each other’s faces with joy.
Lucid Group (STAR)
LCID - Nasdaq
Let me get this straight: Luxury electric-vehicle startup Lucid Group had a puny US$232,000 of revenue in the third quarter, yet its market cap surged to US$91-billion at one point this week, eclipsing Ford and General Motors? Okayyy. Here’s another thing that may strain credulity: Chief executive officer Peter Rawlinson said Lucid is “confident” it can meet its production target of 20,000 vehicles for 2022, even as he acknowledged that the goal is “not without risk” given disruptions to global supply chains that are creating havoc for the automotive industry. Translation: If you’re one of the 17,000 customers who have ordered Lucid’s Air sedan, you might be waiting for a while.
Farmer’s Edge (DOG)
FDGE - TSX
In the old days, you threw some seeds on the ground and hoped for the best. Now, the agriculture industry uses artificial intelligence, satellite imagery and big data to grow the food that ends up on our plates. Unfortunately for agri-tech firm Farmer’s Edge, its stock is wilting on the vine. Since the company went public at $17 in March, the shares have plunged almost 80 per cent as results have missed expectations. The gloomy trend continued in the third quarter when revenue fell 34 per cent and the company posted a loss of $19.4-million. Investors are going hungry.
TJX Cos. (STAR)
TJX - NYSE
Now that pandemic restrictions have eased, it’s time to get back to what really matters in life. Finding bargains at Winners, for example. Shares of TJX – parent of Winners, Marshalls, HomeSense and other “off-price” retail chains – hit a record high after the company posted third-quarter sales of US$12.5-billion, up 24 per cent from a year ago and ahead 20 per cent from the same quarter in 2019 before the pandemic. The fact that people can no longer wear a bathrobe and slippers to work probably helped clothing sales, too.
Goodfood Market (DOG)
FOOD - TSX
The pandemic giveth, and the pandemic taketh away. When people were staying at home and avoiding grocery stores and restaurants, sales of meal-kit delivery company Goodfood Market took off, causing the stock to go parabolic. But now that life has largely returned to normal, the shares are getting crushed. With net sales for the three months ended Aug. 31 falling 5 per cent to $79.4-million and the company reporting a loss of $22.1-million – reflecting higher costs for food, labour, marketing and other items – Goodfood has turned out to be a bad bet.
A humorous look at the companies that caught our eye, for better or worse, this week
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John Heinzl