Ocado appears to have taken a leaf out of Amazon's book when it comes to dealing with investors.
The company is planning a third giant warehouse in the next 12 months and preparing to step up its global ambitions. But it was supposed to be profitable by now after reasonable growth over the past two years and a new alliance with supermarket Morrisons.
However, chief executive Tim Steiner said he is continuing to invest in the future - which includes improving the efficiencies at existing warehouses - adding that profitability is now another year away.
He told one newspaper: 'If we wanted to turn a profit instantly, we could change our focus and do that, but we are investing in growth. Shareholders are asking us to invest for the opportunity to be part of a global shift of scale far beyond the size of Ocado.'
Ocado, with it new lofty global strategy, is not the beast which, most probably prematurely, limped onto the stock market in 2010. Indeed, it was forced to collect new funding in 2012.
However, even with its new improved strategy, which means it will seek to replicate its deal with Morrisons with other grocers globally, it will still need to heed the City's wider sentiment eventually.
Even Amazon was forced last week to offer Wall Street a sop by revealing a plan to increase Amazon Prime membership - potentially adding around $600 million to its bottom line.
Ocado will know that time is not necessarily on its side.
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