145,449 Shares in Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY) Purchased by Beryl Capital Management LLC

Beryl Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 145,449 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,607,000. Lifeway Foods accounts for 0.8% of Beryl Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Beryl Capital Management LLC owned 0.98% of Lifeway Foods at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of LWAY. Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in shares of Lifeway Foods in the fourth quarter worth $388,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in Lifeway Foods by 451.4% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 10,576 shares of the company's stock worth $274,000 after purchasing an additional 8,658 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Lifeway Foods by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 115,971 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,006,000 after purchasing an additional 2,018 shares in the last quarter. Towerview LLC raised its position in Lifeway Foods by 75.0% in the 4th quarter. Towerview LLC now owns 35,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $868,000 after purchasing an additional 15,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Lifeway Foods by 40.5% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 6,420 shares of the company's stock valued at $167,000 after buying an additional 1,849 shares during the period. 36.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lifeway Foods Stock Performance

NASDAQ LWAY traded up $0.22 on Friday, reaching $24.25. The stock had a trading volume of 13,565 shares, compared to its average volume of 117,327. The stock has a market cap of $368.67 million, a P/E ratio of 28.20 and a beta of 0.75. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a 12-month low of $10.06 and a 12-month high of $28.61. The business's 50-day moving average price is $23.17 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.45.

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 14th. The company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.18 by ($0.19). Lifeway Foods had a net margin of 7.23% and a return on equity of 19.97%. The company had revenue of $46.93 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $48.00 million.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Lifeway Foods in a report on Friday. They issued a "hold" rating on the stock.

Insider Activity at Lifeway Foods

In related news, major shareholder Edward Smolyansky sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.23, for a total transaction of $464,600.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,251,642 shares of the company's stock, valued at $29,075,643.66. This trade represents a 1.57 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Ludmila Smolyansky sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.31, for a total transaction of $213,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 17,343 shares of the company's stock, valued at $369,579.33. The trade was a 36.57 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 75,885 shares of company stock worth $1,766,840 over the last three months. 18.86% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Lifeway Foods Profile

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.