Cerity Partners LLC Lowers Position in Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW)

Cerity Partners LLC cut its holdings in shares of Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW - Free Report) by 49.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,023 shares of the specialty retailer's stock after selling 7,982 shares during the quarter. Cerity Partners LLC's holdings in Lamb Weston were worth $428,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Romano Brothers AND Company lifted its stake in Lamb Weston by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Romano Brothers AND Company now owns 15,260 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $813,000 after acquiring an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its stake in Lamb Weston by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 7,130 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $476,000 after acquiring an additional 219 shares in the last quarter. Norinchukin Bank The lifted its stake in Lamb Weston by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. Norinchukin Bank The now owns 5,873 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $392,000 after acquiring an additional 227 shares in the last quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Lamb Weston by 4.0% during the 1st quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 5,984 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $319,000 after acquiring an additional 230 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. lifted its stake in Lamb Weston by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 43,702 shares of the specialty retailer's stock worth $2,921,000 after acquiring an additional 253 shares in the last quarter. 89.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on Lamb Weston from $80.00 to $75.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Lamb Weston from $60.00 to $56.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Lamb Weston from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 8th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on Lamb Weston from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $56.00 price objective on Lamb Weston and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $67.40.

Lamb Weston Stock Up 3.9%

LW opened at $60.87 on Friday. The business's fifty day moving average is $53.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $54.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.12, a quick ratio of 0.58 and a current ratio of 1.38. The company has a market cap of $8.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.25, a PEG ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.46. Lamb Weston has a one year low of $47.87 and a one year high of $83.98.

Lamb Weston (NYSE:LW - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 23rd. The specialty retailer reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.23. Lamb Weston had a return on equity of 27.99% and a net margin of 5.54%. The company had revenue of $1.68 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.59 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.78 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 4.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Lamb Weston will post 3.1 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lamb Weston Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, August 29th. Investors of record on Friday, August 1st will be paid a $0.37 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 1st. This represents a $1.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.43%. Lamb Weston's payout ratio is currently 58.96%.

Lamb Weston 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.

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