Appian Way Asset Management LP Makes New Investment in Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW)

Appian Way Asset Management LP purchased a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW - Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 67,320 shares of the specialty retailer's stock, valued at approximately $4,499,000. Lamb Weston makes up about 0.9% of Appian Way Asset Management LP's portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. West Oak Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of Lamb Weston by 155.7% in the fourth quarter. West Oak Capital LLC now owns 450 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 274 shares during the last quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC purchased a new position in Lamb Weston in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. bought a new position in Lamb Weston during the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Wingate Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston during the 4th quarter valued at about $47,000. Finally, Advantage Trust Co bought a new stake in shares of Lamb Weston in the fourth quarter worth approximately $53,000. 89.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Lamb Weston Stock Performance

Lamb Weston stock traded down $0.61 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $51.50. The stock had a trading volume of 1,444,425 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,652,426. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week low of $47.90 and a 52-week high of $89.51. The company has a market capitalization of $7.27 billion, a PE ratio of 20.36, a P/E/G ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.46. The firm's fifty day moving average is $53.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $63.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.26.

Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 3rd. The specialty retailer reported $1.10 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.87 by $0.23. Lamb Weston had a net margin of 5.80% and a return on equity of 27.82%. The firm had revenue of $1.52 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.20 EPS. The company's revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts forecast that Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. will post 3.1 EPS for the current year.

Lamb Weston Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 30th. Investors of record on Friday, May 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.37 per share. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.87%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 2nd. Lamb Weston's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 58.04%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LW has been the topic of several research reports. Stifel Nicolaus set a $56.00 target price on shares of Lamb Weston and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "hold" rating and issued a $57.00 price objective on shares of Lamb Weston in a report on Wednesday, March 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on Lamb Weston from $72.00 to $66.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. StockNews.com cut Lamb Weston from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Lamb Weston from $80.00 to $75.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Lamb Weston has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $70.64.

Lamb Weston Company Profile

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc produces, distributes, and markets frozen potato products worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Global, Foodservice, Retail, and Other. It offers frozen potatoes, commercial ingredients, and appetizers under the Lamb Weston brand, as well as under various customer labels.