Why Sweetgreen Stock Lost 21% in October

Core Viewpoint - Sweetgreen's shares experienced a significant decline of 21.2% last month, driven by negative consumer sentiment and disappointing reports from industry peers like Chipotle Mexican Grill [2][6]. Company Performance - Sweetgreen's stock approached its all-time low of $6.10, previously reached in March 2023, amid a broader bear market following the pandemic [3]. - The stock's decline was exacerbated by Bank of America's downgrade from buy to neutral, with a revised price target lowered from $18 to $9.50, leading to a 3.8% drop on October 6 [4]. - Following a brief recovery on October 21, the stock fell again by 4% on October 28 due to consumer confidence hitting a six-month low, and by 9% on October 30 after Chipotle reported flat comparable-store sales [5]. Industry Context - The fast-casual dining sector is facing challenges as consumer spending among low-wage earners weakens, impacting chains like Sweetgreen that rely on younger office workers [4]. - The upcoming earnings report on November 6 is expected to show only a 2.5% revenue increase to $177.8 million, with adjusted losses per share projected to widen from $0.07 to $0.10 [8].