Key Points
- Major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 26,431 shares on Dec. 23 at an average price of $24.42 for $645,445, has sold a total of 90,000 shares in recent trades, and now owns 757,823 shares (a 3.37% decline in her stake).
- Lifeway's stock opened at $23.56 (market cap $358.8M, P/E 32.27) and the company recently missed quarterly EPS estimates ($0.23 vs. $0.28) while reporting $57.14M in revenue; analysts hold a consensus of Moderate Buy with an average price target of $34.
Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 26,431 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.42, for a total transaction of $645,445.02. Following the transaction, the insider owned 757,823 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,506,037.66. This represents a 3.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Large shareholders that own 10% or more of a company's shares are required to disclose their transactions with the SEC.
Ludmila Smolyansky also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Wednesday, December 10th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 20,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.17, for a total transaction of $463,400.00.
- On Monday, December 8th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 15,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The stock was 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 shares were sold at an average price of $26.44, for a total value of $264,400.00.
- On Tuesday, October 7th, Ludmila Smolyansky sold 5,000 shares of Lifeway Foods stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $26.32, for a total value of $131,600.00.
Lifeway Foods Stock Down 0.8%
Shares of LWAY opened at $23.56 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $358.82 million, a PE ratio of 32.27 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. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $23.91 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $26.20.
Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 12th. The company reported $0.23 EPS 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 firm had revenue of $57.14 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $55.00 million.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Lifeway Foods in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Benchmark initiated coverage on Lifeway Foods in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a "buy" rating and a $35.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Lifeway Foods currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $34.00.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Lifeway Foods
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lifeway Foods
Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Beryl Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Lifeway Foods by 33.3% during 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 period. Slotnik Capital LLC lifted its stake in Lifeway Foods by 82.5% in the first quarter. Slotnik Capital LLC now owns 96,746 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,365,000 after buying an additional 43,746 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG bought a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods during the 1st quarter worth approximately $78,000. TIG Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Lifeway Foods by 55.9% during the 1st quarter. TIG Advisors LLC now owns 220,817 shares of the company's stock worth $5,399,000 after buying an additional 79,218 shares during the period. Finally, Pekin Hardy Strauss Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Lifeway Foods during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $364,000. Institutional investors own 36.39% of the company's stock.
About Lifeway Foods
(
Get Free Report)
Lifeway Foods, Inc (NASDAQ: LWAY) is a Chicago-based food company specializing in probiotic-rich cultured dairy products. Established in 1986 by Michael Smolyansky, the company pioneered the introduction of kefir to the U.S. market. Under the leadership of CEO Julie Smolyansky, who succeeded her father in 2002, Lifeway has grown from a single product operation into a diversified portfolio of fermented foods and beverages aimed at promoting digestive health and wellness.
The company's flagship product is kefir, a cultured milk beverage naturally rich in probiotics, vitamins and minerals.
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