ETFOptimize | High-performance ETF-based Investment Strategies

Quantitative strategies, Wall Street-caliber research, and insightful market analysis since 1998.


ETFOptimize | HOME
Close Window

3 Reasons to Avoid LMND and 1 Stock to Buy Instead

LMND Cover Image

What a time it’s been for Lemonade. In the past six months alone, the company’s stock price has increased by a massive 108%, reaching $67.02 per share. This was partly due to its solid quarterly results, and the run-up might have investors contemplating their next move.

Is there a buying opportunity in Lemonade, or does it present a risk to your portfolio? Get the full stock story straight from our expert analysts, it’s free for active Edge members.

Why Is Lemonade Not Exciting?

We’re happy investors have made money, but we're swiping left on Lemonade for now. Here are three reasons you should be careful with LMND and a stock we'd rather own.

1. EPS Barely Improving Over the Last Two Years

Although long-term earnings trends give us the big picture, we like to analyze EPS over a shorter period to see if we are missing a change in the business.

For Lemonade, its two-year annual EPS growth of 17.4% was higher than its five-year trend. Its improving earnings is an encouraging data point, but a caveat is that its EPS is still in the red.

Lemonade Trailing 12-Month EPS (Non-GAAP)

2. Declining BVPS Reflects Erosion of Asset Value

For insurers, book value per share (BVPS) is a vital measure of financial health, representing the total assets available to shareholders after accounting for all liabilities, including policyholder reserves and claims obligations.

To the detriment of investors, Lemonade’s BVPS continued freefalling over the past two years as BVPS declined at a -18.5% annual clip (from $10.40 to $6.91 per share).

Lemonade Quarterly Book Value per Share

3. Previous Growth Initiatives Have Lost Money

Return on equity, or ROE, represents the ultimate measure of an insurer's effectiveness, quantifying how well it transforms shareholder investments into profits. Over the long term, insurance companies with robust ROE metrics typically deliver superior shareholder returns through a balanced approach to capital management.

Over the last five years, Lemonade has averaged an ROE of negative 30.3%, a bad result not only in absolute terms but also relative to the majority of insurers putting up 20%+. It also shows that Lemonade has little to no competitive moat.

Lemonade Return on Equity

Final Judgment

Lemonade isn’t a terrible business, but it doesn’t pass our bar. After the recent rally, the stock trades at 10.4× forward P/B (or $67.02 per share). Investors with a higher risk tolerance might like the company, but we don’t really see a big opportunity at the moment. We're fairly confident there are better investments elsewhere. Let us point you toward the most dominant software business in the world.

High-Quality Stocks for All Market Conditions

Your portfolio can’t afford to be based on yesterday’s story. The risk in a handful of heavily crowded stocks is rising daily.

The names generating the next wave of massive growth are right here in our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 244% over the last five years (as of June 30, 2025).

Stocks that have made our list include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,326% between June 2020 and June 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Tecnoglass (+1,754% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.

StockStory is growing and hiring equity analyst and marketing roles. Are you a 0 to 1 builder passionate about the markets and AI? See the open roles here.

Recent Quotes

View More
Symbol Price Change (%)
AMZN  233.22
+4.06 (1.77%)
AAPL  278.85
+1.30 (0.47%)
AMD  217.53
+3.29 (1.54%)
BAC  53.65
+0.66 (1.25%)
GOOG  320.12
-0.16 (-0.05%)
META  647.95
+14.34 (2.26%)
MSFT  492.01
+6.51 (1.34%)
NVDA  177.00
-3.26 (-1.81%)
ORCL  201.95
-3.01 (-1.47%)
TSLA  430.17
+3.59 (0.84%)
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.


 

IntelligentValue Home
Close Window

DISCLAIMER

All content herein is issued solely for informational purposes and is not to be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor should it be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, hold or sell (short or otherwise) any security.  All opinions, analyses, and information included herein are based on sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, is made including but not limited to any representation or warranty concerning accuracy, completeness, correctness, timeliness or appropriateness. We undertake no obligation to update such opinions, analysis or information. You should independently verify all information contained on this website. Some information is based on analysis of past performance or hypothetical performance results, which have inherent limitations. We make no representation that any particular equity or strategy will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown. Shareholders, employees, writers, contractors, and affiliates associated with ETFOptimize.com may have ownership positions in the securities that are mentioned. If you are not sure if ETFs, algorithmic investing, or a particular investment is right for you, you are urged to consult with a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA). Neither this website nor anyone associated with producing its content are Registered Investment Advisors, and no attempt is made herein to substitute for personalized, professional investment advice. Neither ETFOptimize.com, Global Alpha Investments, Inc., nor its employees, service providers, associates, or affiliates are responsible for any investment losses you may incur as a result of using the information provided herein. Remember that past investment returns may not be indicative of future returns.

Copyright © 1998-2017 ETFOptimize.com, a publication of Optimized Investments, Inc. All rights reserved.