LWAY Stock Analysis: Lifeway Foods | NASDAQ

Packaged Foods | NASDAQ, USA | Market Cap: 398m USD | 12M Return: -11.5% | US5319141090 | Charts, Fundamentals & Technical Analysis

Kefir, Soft Cheese, Yogurt, Butter
Total Rating 48
Safety 93
Buy Signal -0.28
Packaged Foods
Industry Rotation: +0.1
Market Cap: 398M
Avg Turnover: 3.64M
Risk 3d forecast
Volatility74.8%
VaR 5th Pctl9.70%
VaR vs Median-13.8%
Reward TTM
Sharpe Ratio-0.18
Rel. Str. IBD45
Rel. Str. Peer Group74.4
Character TTM
Beta0.090
Beta Downside0.019
Hurst Exponent0.531
Drawdowns 3y
Max DD60.45%
CAGR/Max DD0.57
CAGR/Mean DD1.65
EPS (Earnings per Share) EPS (Earnings per Share) of LWAY over the last years for every Quarter: "2021-09": 0.03, "2021-12": null, "2022-03": -0.058, "2022-06": 0.01, "2022-09": 0.06, "2022-12": 0.05, "2023-03": 0.06, "2023-06": 0.21, "2023-09": 0.23, "2023-12": 0.26, "2024-03": 0.16, "2024-06": 0.25, "2024-09": 0.19, "2024-12": -0.01, "2025-03": 0.23, "2025-06": 0.28, "2025-09": 0.23, "2025-12": 0.16, "2026-03": 0.3, "2026-06": 0.01,
EPS CAGR: 5.12%
EPS Trend: 25.1%
Last SUE: -2.19
Qual. Beats: -1
Revenue Revenue of LWAY over the last years for every Quarter: 2021-09: 29.553, 2021-12: 30.974, 2022-03: 34.099, 2022-06: 33.491, 2022-09: 38.14, 2022-12: 35.838, 2023-03: 37.904, 2023-06: 39.23, 2023-09: 40.896, 2023-12: 42.093, 2024-03: 44.634, 2024-06: 49.157, 2024-09: 46.095, 2024-12: 46.934, 2025-03: 46.091, 2025-06: 53.901, 2025-09: 57.143, 2025-12: 55.361, 2026-03: 63.012, 2026-06: 66.893,
Rev. CAGR: 16.36%
Rev. Trend: 98.6%
Last SUE: 2.20
Qual. Beats: 2

Warnings

No concerns identified

Tailwinds

No distinct edge detected

Seasonality 11.6 years of data

Jan +0.5% 2
Feb -4.7% 30
Mar +1.6% 10
Apr -3.3% 17
May -0.2% 12
Jun +2.5% 18
Jul +0.4% 8
Aug +18.4% 29
Sep +0.2% 0
Oct +2.9% 41
Nov +3.4% 39
Dec -5.5% 27

How good or bad each month usually is (without trend). The score below shows how much you can trust it: 0 = pure chance, >40 gets interesting and >55 is strong.

Description: LWAY Lifeway Foods

Lifeway Foods, Inc. (LWAY) is a Morton Grove, Illinois-based producer of probiotic dairy products, primarily specializing in drinkable kefir. Its portfolio includes European-style soft cheeses, drinkable yogurts, and butter sold under the Lifeway, Fresh Made, and GlenOaks Farms brands. The company utilizes a multi-channel distribution strategy involving a direct sales force, brokers, and third-party distributors to reach North American consumers.

Operating within the Consumer Staples sector, Lifeway focuses on the functional food market, where products are marketed for specific health benefits beyond basic nutrition. The company employs a vertically integrated manufacturing model for its cultured dairy lines, allowing for control over proprietary probiotic formulas and fermentation processes. Investors may find ValueRay useful for evaluating how these operational fundamentals impact long-term valuation.

Incorporated in 1986, the firm maintains a presence in both organic and conventional categories, catering to shifting consumer preferences for gut-health-oriented beverages. As a small-cap entity in the Packaged Foods & Meats industry, its growth is closely tied to the expansion of probiotic awareness and retail shelf-space acquisition.

Headlines to Watch Out For
  • Kefir volume growth drives core revenue and market share expansion
  • Raw milk costs and production efficiencies dictate gross margin volatility
  • Danone ownership stake and potential acquisition interest impact valuation premium
  • Distribution expansion into conventional grocery and mass channels fuels top-line growth
Piotroski VR-10 (Strict) 6.5
Net Income: 10.9m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue
FCF/TA: -0.24 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA -24.86 > 1.0
NWC/Revenue: 10.17% < 20% (prev 17.12%; Δ -6.95% < -1%)
CFO/TA 0.08 > 3% & CFO 11.2m > Net Income 10.9m
Net Debt (16.1m) to EBITDA (19.9m): 0.81 < 3
Current Ratio: 2.09 > 1.5 & < 3
Outstanding Shares: last quarter (15.3m) vs 12m ago -0.66% < -2%
Gross Margin: 26.01% > 18% (prev 26.01%; Δ 0.01% > 0.5%)
Asset Turnover: 210.2% > 50% (prev 196.4%; Δ 13.76% > 0%)
Interest Coverage Ratio: 48.06 > 6 (EBIT TTM 15.6m / Interest Expense TTM 325k)
Altman Z'' 6.29
A: 0.19 (Total Current Assets 47.2m - Total Current Liabilities 22.5m) / Total Assets 132.4m
B: 0.71 (Retained Earnings 93.5m / Total Assets 132.4m)
C: 0.14 (EBIT TTM 15.6m / Avg Total Assets 115.3m)
D: 1.77 (Book Value of Equity 84.6m / Total Liabilities 47.8m)
Altman-Z'' = 6.29 = AAA
Beneish M -2.86
DSRI: 1.13 (Receivables 22.9m/16.1m, Revenue 242.4m/193.0m)
GMI: 1.00 (GM 26.01% / 26.01%)
AQI: 0.79 (AQ_t 0.14 / AQ_t-1 0.18)
SGI: 1.26 (Revenue 242.4m / 193.0m)
TATA: -0.00 (NI 10.9m - CFO 11.2m) / TA 132.4m)
Beneish M = -2.86 (Cap -4..+1) = A
What is the price of LWAY shares?

As of September 01, 2026, the stock is trading at USD 26.35 with a total of 87,082 shares traded. Over the past week, the price has changed by +1.62%, over one month by -14.92%, over three months by +12.46% and over the past year by -11.49%.

Current recommended Stop Loss: 24.90 (which is 5.5% or 1.1 ATR below the current price).

Is LWAY a buy, sell or hold?

Lifeway Foods has received a consensus analysts rating of 5.00. Therefore, it is recommended to buy LWAY.

  • StrongBuy: 1
  • Buy: 0
  • Hold: 0
  • Sell: 0
  • StrongSell: 0

What are the forecasts/targets for the LWAY price?
Analysts Target Price 33 25.2%
Lifeway Foods (LWAY) - Fundamental Data Overview as of 26 August 2026
Market Cap USD = 397.8m (397.8m USD * 1.0 USD.USD)
P/E Trailing = 37.6214
P/E Forward = 29.9401
P/S = 1.6412
P/B = 4.6174
P/EG = 3.5033
Revenue TTM = 242.4m USD
EBIT TTM = 15.6m USD
EBITDA TTM = 19.9m USD
Long Term Debt = 6.94m USD (from longTermDebt, two quarters ago)
Short Term Debt = 128k USD (from shortTermDebt, last quarter)
Debt = 23.2m USD (from shortLongTermDebtTotal, last quarter) + Leases 553k
Net Debt = 16.1m USD (calculated: Debt 23.2m - CCE 7.09m)
Enterprise Value = 413.9m USD (397.8m + Debt 23.2m - CCE 7.09m)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 48.06 (Ebit TTM 15.6m / Interest Expense TTM 325k)
EV/FCF = -13.29x (Enterprise Value 413.9m / FCF TTM -31.1m)
FCF Yield = -7.52% (FCF TTM -31.1m / Enterprise Value 413.9m)
FCF Margin = -12.84% (FCF TTM -31.1m / Revenue TTM 242.4m)
Net Margin = 4.48% (Net Income TTM 10.9m / Revenue TTM 242.4m)
Gross Margin = 26.01% ((Revenue TTM 242.4m - Cost of Revenue TTM 179.3m) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 19.47% (prev 27.54%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 3.13 (Enterprise Value 413.9m / Total Assets 132.4m)
Interest Expense / Debt = 1.40% (Interest Expense 325k / Debt 23.2m)
Taxrate = 29.74% (4.60m / 15.5m)
NOPAT = 11.0m (EBIT 15.6m * (1 - 29.74%))
Current Ratio = 2.09 (Total Current Assets 47.2m / Total Current Liabilities 22.5m)
Debt / Equity = 0.27 (Debt 23.2m / totalStockholderEquity, last quarter 84.6m)
Debt / EBITDA = 0.81 (Net Debt 16.1m / EBITDA 19.9m)
 Debt / FCF = -0.52 (negative FCF - burning cash) (Net Debt 16.1m / FCF TTM -31.1m)
 Total Stockholder Equity = 85.9m (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 9.43% (Net Income 10.9m / Total Assets 132.4m)
RoE = 12.66% (Net Income TTM 10.9m / Total Stockholder Equity 85.9m)
RoCE = 16.83% (EBIT 15.6m / Capital Employed (Equity 85.9m + L.T.Debt 6.94m))
RoIC = 10.66% (NOPAT 11.0m / Invested Capital 102.9m)
WACC = 6.01% (E(397.8m)/V(421.0m) * Re(6.30%) + D(23.2m)/V(421.0m) * Rd(1.40%) * (1-Tc(0.30)))
Discount Rate = 6.30% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares (quarterly) Correlation: 51.19 | Cagr: 0.20%
 [DCF] Fair Price = unknown (Cash Flow -31.1m)
 EPS Correlation: 25.15 | EPS CAGR: 5.12% | SUE: -2.19 | # QB: -1
Revenue Correlation: 98.64 | Revenue CAGR: 16.36% | SUE: 2.20 | # QB: 2
EPS current Quarter (2026-09-30): EPS=0.05 | Chg30d=N/A | Revisions=+0% | Analysts=1
EPS current Year (2026-12-31): EPS=0.50 | Chg30d=N/A | Revisions=+0% | GrowthEPS=-39.3% | GrowthRev=+23.6%
EPS next Year (2027-12-31): EPS=1.35 | Chg30d=N/A | Revisions=+0% | GrowthEPS=+170.0% | GrowthRev=+13.7%