Key Points
- Ludmila Smolyansky sold 20,000 shares on Dec. 10 at an average price of $23.17 for $463,400, cutting her direct stake to 784,254 shares (a 2.49% reduction).
- This is part of a string of recent insider sales: she disposed of 63,569 shares across trades on Dec. 8, Dec. 9 and Oct. 7–8, generating roughly $1.53 million in proceeds.
- Market context: LWAY trades around $23.12 (below its 50- and 200-day moving averages), the company recently missed EPS estimates while beating revenue, and analysts have a consensus "Moderate Buy" with a $34 price target.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 20,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.17, for a total value of $463,400.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 784,254 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,171,165.18. This trade represents a 2.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company's stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.
Ludmila Smolyansky also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Monday, December 8th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 15,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.56, for a total transaction of $353,400.00.
- On Tuesday, December 9th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 13,569 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.41, for a total transaction of $317,650.29.
- On Wednesday, October 8th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 10,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.44, for a total transaction of $264,400.00.
- On Tuesday, October 7th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 5,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.32, for a total transaction of $131,600.00.
Lifeway Foods Trading Up 0.7%
Shares of LWAY stock opened at $23.12 on Friday. The firm's 50 day moving average is $24.58 and its 200 day moving average is $26.17. The stock has a market capitalization of $352.12 million, a P/E ratio of 31.67 and a beta of 0.03. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a 12 month low of $19.50 and a 12 month high of $34.20.
Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.23 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.28 by ($0.05). Lifeway Foods had a net margin of 5.47% and a return on equity of 14.51%. The business had revenue of $57.14 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $55.00 million.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several brokerages have recently weighed in on LWAY. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Lifeway Foods in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen raised Lifeway Foods from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 16th. Finally, Benchmark assumed coverage on Lifeway Foods in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a "buy" rating and a $35.00 price target on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lifeway Foods has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $34.00.
View Our Latest Report on LWAY
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lifeway Foods
Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LWAY. Beryl Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Lifeway Foods by 33.3% in the first quarter. Beryl Capital Management LLC now owns 193,888 shares of the company's stock worth $4,741,000 after purchasing an additional 48,439 shares during the last quarter. Slotnik Capital LLC lifted its position in Lifeway Foods by 82.5% during the first quarter. Slotnik Capital LLC now owns 96,746 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,365,000 after purchasing an additional 43,746 shares during the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL grew its stake in Lifeway Foods by 19.3% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 143,550 shares of the company's stock worth $3,510,000 after buying an additional 23,200 shares in the last quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC increased its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods by 297.4% in the 1st quarter. Gabelli Funds LLC now owns 64,656 shares of the company's stock worth $1,581,000 after buying an additional 48,388 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in shares of Lifeway Foods during the 1st quarter valued at $78,000. Institutional investors own 36.39% of the company's stock.
About Lifeway Foods
(
Get Free Report)
Lifeway Foods, Inc produces and markets probiotic-based products in the United States and internationally. Its primary product is drinkable kefir, a cultured dairy product in various organic and non-organic sizes, flavors, and types. The company offers European-style soft cheeses; cream and other products; ProBugs, a line of kefir products designed for children; drinkable yogurt; and fresh made butter and sour cream.
Further Reading

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