Beyond Meat's losses widen as demand shrinks. Is its meme-stock run over?

Core Viewpoint - Beyond Meat is experiencing significant challenges with declining demand for its meat-substitute products, leading to wider losses and lower-than-expected sales forecasts for the upcoming quarter [2][6]. Financial Performance - For the third quarter ending September 27, Beyond Meat reported a revenue decline of 13.3% year-over-year to $70.2 million, surpassing the FactSet consensus estimate of $69 million [4]. - The company anticipates fourth-quarter net revenues between $60 million and $65 million, which is below the FactSet consensus estimate of $70.1 million [4]. - The third-quarter revenue was negatively impacted by a 10.3% drop in product volume sold, attributed to weak category demand and reduced distribution points in U.S. retail stores [5]. Losses and Operational Challenges - Beyond Meat's net loss for the third quarter widened to $110.7 million, or $1.44 per share, compared to a net loss of $26.6 million, or 41 cents per share, in the same period last year [7]. - The loss from operations was reported at $112.3 million, which included $77.4 million in non-cash impairment charges related to long-lived assets [9]. Market Reaction - Following the announcement of weaker sales and wider losses, Beyond Meat's shares fell more than 8% in after-hours trading [6][2]. - The company's stock closed at $1.34, significantly lower than its recent meme-stock peak of $3.62 on October 21 [12]. Strategic Initiatives - Beyond Meat's CEO highlighted three key initiatives aimed at transforming the company: reducing overall leverage, extending debt maturity, and enhancing liquidity [13]. - As of September 27, the company reported cash reserves of $131.1 million against total outstanding debt of $1.2 billion [14].