How Beyond Meat became the market's latest meme-stock darling

Core Insights - Beyond Meat has experienced a significant stock surge, with shares increasing over 800% in just three days, driven by retail investor interest and a recent collaboration with Walmart [2][8][11] - The company, which was valued at $14 billion in 2019, is now worth less than $1 billion, indicating a drastic decline in its market position and sales [2][3] - Retail investor Dimitri Semenikhin has acquired approximately 4% of Beyond Meat's outstanding shares, citing a recent convertible note exchange as a reason for his bullish outlook [1][6][7] Stock Performance - Beyond Meat shares surged 128% to $1.47 on Monday, followed by a 146% increase to $3.62 on Tuesday, and a further 65% rise on Wednesday, marking a three-day increase of over 800% [2][11] - The trading volume during this period was approximately 70 times the average, indicating heightened retail investor activity [2] Company Fundamentals - Beyond Meat's sales have significantly declined, and the company has faced increased competition in the meat alternatives market [2] - The completion of a convertible note exchange has improved Beyond Meat's balance sheet, reducing the perceived risk of bankruptcy [6][8] Investor Sentiment - Semenikhin believes the current stock price is undervalued and predicts a further increase of 66% to around $6 per share [8] - The stock's addition to a meme-stock ETF and the retail trading frenzy have contributed to its recent price movements, reminiscent of the GameStop phenomenon [9][10]