What happened
Shares of Lyft (LYFT +1.53%) rose 10.4% in January, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. The ride-sharing stock climbed early in the month thanks to potential workarounds and legal challenges to California's Assembly Bill 5 (AB5).
California's Assembly Bill 5 significantly limits the ability of companies to hire laborers on a contract or freelance (as opposed to employee) basis in the state. Legislation like AB5 presents a significant threat to companies including Lyft, Uber, and a wide range of businesses and industries that depend on "gig economy" labor. The law went into effect in California last month, but Lyft stock posted gains as investors seemed to focus on ways that its impact could be mitigated.
Image source: Getty Images.
So what
California's AB5 law took effect on Jan. 1, and companies and workers who depend on the gig economy are still trying to find workarounds and legal remedies to avoid being affected by the law. Uber changed its policies for drivers on Jan. 8, and the ride-sharing company filed a lawsuit along with food-delivery company Postmates to challenge AB 5 late last December. A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled on Jan. 9 that AB5 does not apply to independent truck drivers in the state.
With movement on the legal front and signs of potential workarounds to reduce the impact of the law, investors seem to have become more confident in Lyft stock last month.
Now what
Lyft is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results after the market closes on Feb. 11. The company is guiding for sales in the period to come in between $975 million and $985 million -- good for growth of 46.5% year over year, at the midpoint of the target. The company projects non-GAAP (adjusted) EBITDA loss at between $160 million and $170 million.
For the full year, Lyft expects revenue between $3.57 billion and $3.58 billion, representing annual growth of roughly 66%. The company expects adjusted EBITDA loss between $708 million and $718 million.
Lyft is valued at roughly four times its expected sales for the 2019 fiscal year and 3.1 times next year's expected sales.
