Wall Street doesn’t like Whole Foods’ millennial store concept

Following the ebb and flow of investor sentiment is often a factor of fear when it comes to change. The more things stay the same in general, the healthier the stocks are. When changes come and people start selling, it’s often because they know that people are going to start selling. They’ll be back. For Whole Foods’ latest announced change, the drop in stock may be a harbinger.

This is what happens when investor sentiment is tied to the quality of a change. Based upon dropping from $47.50 Wednesday to around $42 so far today, it’s not the type of huge drop that spells doom for the idea, but it’s definitely not being received well. The drop followed an announcement by the health food grocer that they would be opening high-tech stores designed for millennials. Smaller, less expensive, and with more of a focus on quick meals, the stores would be in addition to the current stores.

No matter how they spin it, the stores would be competing for the same audience and investors know it.

According to LA Times:

Several analysts said the new stores needed to go beyond the millennial buzzword to give the company a way to differentiate itself in an increasingly crowded organic food landscape.