A South Korean retail investor has become a victim of Beyond Meat’s downtrend after revealing that he poured his entire life savings into the struggling firm. He revealed that he bought $55,000 worth of BYND at $7 a share, which is now trading below $2.
The investor called the investment a bet on belief, not just money, after it wiped out more than 70% of his investment. The trader has acknowledged that $7 may never come back but vowed to make BYND go viral to turn it into a grassroots movement. Critics have called the move delusional.
BYND stock plummets nearly 98% from its IPO high
BYND stock was down to $1.72 at publication, with a market cap of $ 719.63 million and an average daily volume of 364.02 million. Its 2019 IPO was among Wall Street’s most explosive; its stock skyrocketed from $25 to nearly $240 before consolidating at around $190. The firm received a valuation of $14 billion following the IPO.
Consumers began to lose interest in the pricey faux beef, causing the margins to shrink. By October 2025, the firm had lost almost 98% of its value. The downfall triggered a massive debt exchange that diluted the value of shareholders. Reuters reported in late September that the plant-based meat maker had swapped over $1.15 billion in debt for new 7% notes due 2030 plus 316 million new shares. That meant if all holders converted the shares, they would own almost 88% of the company.
TD Cowen Analysts Have already slashed their price target for the BYND stock to $0.80 after maintaining a ‘Sell’ rating and warning of an existential risk. The stock’s market cap has plunged to under $800 million, and revenue estimates for Q3 are down nearly 14% year over year to just $69 million.
The investor’s post, shared across online platforms, quickly went viral within meme-trading circles. If the price hits $10, he plans to fly to Beyond Meat’s HQ, host a ‘BYND Day’ at $30, and launch a global shareholder gathering called ‘The Beyond Feast’ if the stock ever hits $200 again.
BYND’s 130% spike last week masks deep financial trouble
Stock sensationalization through memes has proven to move the market. Just last week, a viral post on X declared that BYND stock will replicate GME’s 2021 short squeeze, sparking a trend on online forums like WallStreetBets and Stockwits about a potential short squeeze. The BYND stock jumped over 130% intraday, trading more than 30 times its average volume, with over 700 million shares changing hands in a single session. The stock jumped to $6.77 on October 22.
Despite the brief surge last week, Beyond Meat’s financial burden remains dire, as the firm is still losing money. The surge lasted only a few hours before tumbling to lower lows this week due to shrinking sales and rising debt costs. The restructuring in late September only bought them time, but at the price of almost total shareholder dilution.
According to Q2 financial filings, Beyond Meat held around $1.14 billion in convertible notes and $691 million in net assets. Net revenues were $75 million, representing a 19.6% decrease year over year, and Gross profit was $8.6 million, representing a gross margin of 11.5%, compared to a gross profit of $13.7 million a year ago. Q3 financial results are expected to be released on November 1 with revenue estimates of $69 million.
Beyon Meat’s debt burden remains steep, even after the exchange; the new notes now carry a 7% interest rate, which further raises upcoming costs. For JIN_ius, the investment has become less about returns and more about symbolism, trying to prove that belief, community, and brand value can survive anything. For now, consumer enthusiasm towards Beyond Meat’s brand, which was once stocked by McDonald’s and KFC, appears to have waned as demand for the plant-based protein weakens.
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