Beryl Capital Management LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Lifeway Foods, Inc. $LWAY

Key Points

• Beryl Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Lifeway Foods by 33.3% in the first quarter, owning 193,888 shares valued at approximately $4.74 million.
• Other institutional investors, including TIG Advisors LLC and Gabelli Funds LLC, also raised their holdings, indicating growing investor interest in Lifeway Foods.
• Lifeway Foods reported $0.28 earnings per share in its recent quarterly earnings, surpassing the consensus estimate of $0.18.

Beryl Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Lifeway Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:LWAY - Free Report) by 33.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 193,888 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 48,439 shares during the quarter. Lifeway Foods comprises 1.8% of Beryl Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 9th biggest holding. Beryl Capital Management LLC owned 1.28% of Lifeway Foods worth $4,741,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. JBF Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Lifeway Foods in the first quarter valued at about $672,000. Rhumbline Advisers raised its stake in shares of Lifeway Foods by 8.2% in the first quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 6,068 shares of the company's stock valued at $148,000 after acquiring an additional 462 shares during the last quarter. Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB publ acquired a new stake in shares of Lifeway Foods in the first quarter valued at approximately $221,000. Deutsche Bank AG acquired a new stake in Lifeway Foods during the 1st quarter worth $78,000. Finally, Gamco Investors INC. ET AL boosted its position in shares of Lifeway Foods by 19.3% during the first quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 143,550 shares of the company's stock worth $3,510,000 after purchasing an additional 23,200 shares in the last quarter. 36.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently commented on LWAY shares. Wall Street Zen raised Lifeway Foods from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 16th. Lake Street Capital increased their price target on Lifeway Foods from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $33.00.

Lifeway Foods Stock Performance

Shares of LWAY traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $31.12. The stock had a trading volume of 95,611 shares, compared to its average volume of 70,185. Lifeway Foods, Inc. has a 12 month low of $19.50 and a 12 month high of $32.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $473.96 million, a PE ratio of 45.10 and a beta of 0.46. The company's 50-day moving average is $27.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $24.71.

Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 12th. The company reported $0.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.18 by $0.10. Lifeway Foods had a return on equity of 14.32% and a net margin of 5.49%.The business had revenue of $53.90 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $54.00 million.

Insider Buying and Selling at Lifeway Foods

In other news, Director Jason Scott Scher sold 16,366 shares of Lifeway Foods stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.24, for a total value of $396,711.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 1 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $24.24. This trade represents a 99.99% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 18.86% of the company's stock.

About Lifeway Foods

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.