Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) Raised to Hold at Zacks Research

Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on LYFT. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Lyft from $15.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Lyft in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised Lyft from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $22.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, June 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reduced their price objective on Lyft from $22.00 to $18.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 8th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group decreased their target price on Lyft from $16.00 to $15.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 8th. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $19.43.

Lyft Price Performance

Shares of LYFT opened at $16.30 on Wednesday. Lyft has a twelve month low of $12.46 and a twelve month high of $25.54. The company has a market capitalization of $6.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 2.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.98 and a beta of 1.80. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $14.88 and a 200 day moving average of $14.53. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The ride-sharing company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.14 by ($0.01). Lyft had a net margin of 43.82% and a negative return on equity of 2.09%. The business had revenue of $1.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.81 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.10 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 16.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Lyft will post 0.69 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Lyft

In other news, Director Jill Beggs sold 2,093 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.76, for a total value of $28,799.68. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 30,092 shares in the company, valued at $414,065.92. This trade represents a 6.50% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Erin Brewer sold 15,000 shares of Lyft stock in a transaction on Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.59, for a total value of $203,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 705,979 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,594,254.61. The trade was a 2.08% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 81,749 shares of company stock valued at $1,221,950 in the last quarter. 0.92% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LYFT. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Lyft by 7.4% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 25,783,363 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock worth $567,492,000 after purchasing an additional 1,773,438 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its position in shares of Lyft by 15.4% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 9,873,232 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock valued at $191,245,000 after purchasing an additional 1,320,938 shares during the last quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd increased its position in shares of Lyft by 51.6% during the 1st quarter. Altshuler Shaham Ltd now owns 7,662,027 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock valued at $101,905,000 after purchasing an additional 2,607,417 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in shares of Lyft by 58.0% in the 1st quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 6,720,478 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock worth $89,360,000 after purchasing an additional 2,467,010 shares during the period. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Lyft in the 4th quarter worth approximately $109,987,000. Institutional investors own 83.07% of the company’s stock.

Lyft News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Lyft this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Lyft reported second-quarter revenue of approximately $1.84 billion, up 16.1% year over year and ahead of the $1.81 billion analyst estimate. The company also reported record active riders, supported by demand for higher-value rides, international expansion, and partnerships. Lyft signals steady demand as second-quarter revenue tops estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter gross bookings climbed to about $5.5 billion. Lyft’s outlook for the current quarter calls for bookings growth that is slightly above Wall Street expectations, potentially signaling continued demand despite a more cautious growth trajectory. Lyft signals steady demand as second-quarter revenue tops estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Lyft highlighted record quarterly growth and profitability gains, but reported metrics were mixed. Investors will likely focus on whether higher-value rides and international operations can sustain growth while the company expands its platform. Lyft Reports Record Q2 Growth and Profitability Gains
• Negative Sentiment: Adjusted second-quarter earnings fell short of expectations. Zacks cited EPS of $0.29 versus a $0.39 consensus estimate; another report cited $0.13 versus $0.14. Although earnings improved from the prior year, the miss raises concerns about cost control and profit growth. Lyft Misses Q2 Earnings Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Management expects current-quarter bookings growth of roughly 15% to 19%, indicating a slowdown from the recent pace. That moderation may limit enthusiasm despite the revenue beat and slightly favorable bookings outlook. Lyft’s Bookings Climb, But Expects Growth to Moderate
• Negative Sentiment: Insider Lindsay Catherine Llewellyn sold 36,214 shares worth approximately $584,494 under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Because the sale was scheduled in advance and the insider retained more than 817,000 shares, its impact is likely limited, but it may add modest sentiment pressure. Lyft Insider Sale

About Lyft

Lyft, Inc (NASDAQ: LYFT) operates a peer-to-peer ridesharing platform that connects passengers with drivers through a mobile application. Since its founding in 2012, the company has expanded beyond traditional ride-hailing to include bike and electric scooter rentals, while also offering rental cars and public transit options in select markets. Lyft’s platform uses GPS mapping and dynamic pricing algorithms to optimize driver-passenger matches and route efficiency.

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Lyft primarily serves urban and suburban markets across the United States and Canada.