Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) stock has seen its shares collapse this week, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. After reporting weak growth and more losses in the second quarter, Wall Street sold off the digital coupon platform’s stock by over 30%. As of market close on Thursday, Aug. 1, Groupon is down 32% this week. It is off 97% from all-time highs set over a decade ago.
Here’s why Groupon stock was falling once again this week.
In its second-quarter earnings report on July 30, Groupon posted disappointing financial news for investors. Revenue fell 3% year over year to $124.6 million. Investors hate shrinking revenues, so this was a negative right off the bat. Further down the income statement, it gets even worse. Groupon spent $36.5 million on marketing in the quarter, or 32% of gross profit. This was a huge jump from 20% of gross profit a year ago. Even though it is spending more on marketing, Groupon’s revenue is falling.
Net income was negative $9.4 million, another quarter of losses for the company. It has never generated a consistent profit, which gives investors minimal confidence in the stock. If it can’t generate positive earnings, the company will eventually go bankrupt, which is obviously bad news.
Groupon has been troubled ever since its business model imploded around the 2016 period. Revenue peaked at over $2.5 billion. Over the last 12 months, it was a touch over $500 million. No wonder the stock is off 97% from the highs set many years ago.
Shares of Groupon now look cheap on a numerical basis at $12. But this does not matter. A stock’s actual price is irrelevant. What matters is the market capitalization, and how much in earnings the company can generate versus that market capitalization.
For Groupon, it can generate no earnings. So, instead of creating value for shareholders, it is destroying value. The stock has fallen 97% because of this, and it fell yet again this week. Unless it somehow fixes its revenue and turns to profitability, Groupon stock will continue heading lower. There is no reason to buy the dip on this once beloved start-up.
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Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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